2022-11 November  

What makes the TOYS/GIFTS Group tick?

​

​

Members must stand in awe as they observe the quality of woodworking that pops out of the small Toy/Gift Group's Shed on the Alfresco area of the Club.   Year after year significant numbers of beautifully made, and intricately designed precious items emerge, awaiting the delight of a child or family at Xmas time in our local Community.

​

How does this group manage to do this?    Well, it is surely a well oiled machine, when it comes to arranging the logistics of producing many, identical, useful gifts.

​

You may have heard of the 'bold and the beautiful', well this is the 'bashful and the beautiful' Group.  No matter how cunning the paparazzi is, at trying to identify the brains trust of this group, they remain united, humble and quiet about how it all comes together so well.

​

Yes, there does seem to be a series of splinter groups therein,  some designing, some painting, some preparing special components on a variety of machines, others contributing from home - but nothing obvious to the outsider, as to how it all comes together so brilliantly each year.   And there are scores of people involved!    

​

The once busy Thursday Group, is now even more busy, and overflowing into a Monday morning group as well these days!    Our photographic spies have been failing to see who is in charge, or if in fact there is just some charismatic joining of creative skills and enthusiasm, that allows this group to 'just operate' without fuss or fanfare.   

 

Ask any active contributor to the group about how a new toy came about, and the answer is always the same .... "Oh yes, that ....  we all made a part of that"....   And that seems to be the way they want it played out.

​

So, regardless, the Ingrained editions from January till now, in 2022, have tried to illustrate and explore the progress of each new toy, from its simple base material beginnings, to its amazing finishes, like the set of trains and all the wonderful dynosaurs that have amusing moving parts.  Check any edition from the archives for 2022, to see some of the many examples, at:  www.knoxwoodies.org.au/archives

 

The time grows near in late November/early December when many local Community Groups are invited to take a share of the toys, in the order of about 600 a year.  The full array on display is spectacular to see.   Check any past December edition to see the results in years gone by, although COVID19 required discrete delivery unlike so many prior years, taking place a little later in the year, but well in time for Xmas.

​

So, alas, we have no names to mention, and nor should we, as that is the way they want to craft their products as a team.  But they are all there, every Thursday or Monday now, and you too can come along and admire their workmanship in their shed.  In fact, working alongside any of the Members in these sessions, I guarantee, will reward you with the opportunity of learning how to practise your craft, and improve it, whilst making a valuable contribution to the local Community.

​

​

So, no, we don't know who makes it tick, we just know it ticks so WELL!    Come visit.

​

​