ServicePens 2015 begins

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GaryMGg

GaryMGg

Member
Joined
Nov 23, 2006
Messages
5,869
Location
McIntosh, Florida, USA.
For the last four years, the IAP has helped and supported several programs to provide pens to our Service men and women, including ServicePens.
ServicePens 2014 has just completed -- we provided 533 pens to these heroes.

Mike Broberg has informed me the IAP will continue to support ServicePens.

Therefore, ServicePens 2015 is underway.
Please help make this the biggest donation year yet!
Looking forward to your participation.

Thank you,
Gary G.
 
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Gary,

While I am familiar with this type of program (I helped Woodcraft's "Turn for the troops" last year), could you provide the details on how this works here at the IAP for those of us who joined the IAP relatively recently?

Thanks,
Michael
 
Hi Michael,
During the year, members, or members and their clubs, or members in coordination with some group they're involved with,
will produce pens for our Servicemen and women.

Those pens are mailed to me at:

ServicePens
c/o Gary Greenberg
275 W. Laila Dr
Melbourne, FL 32904

I belong to an organization called NCMS (URL: https://www.classmgmt.com/home/index.asp )
Each year in June during the Annual Conference, the pens are presented to the local Color Guard
who then distribute them among the Servicemen and women for their brigade.
In 2014, the pens are en-route to the Joint Armed Forces Color Guard.

I look forward to your participation.
Thank you.
 
Always a pleasure to make them for our troops. 250 for this year and have started for 2015 with 50 already done.. Have to wait now till I get more c/a to glue in tubes and finish..I have enough kits to do 270 total this year.....Ever one should make a few for our service men and women who protect our freedom....I challenge all IAP members to do at least 20.........
 
Hi Cody,
ALL pens are welcome & appreciated.
Many people customize the slimline.
For instance, the hundreds Dave has made have been mostly without a CB and have nice little rings similar to a grip on them.
Some of us segment the blank in place of a CB.
Whatever you choose to make, I simply hope everyone puts their best effort into it.
Looking forward to your participation.
Thank you
Gary
 
Maybe I don't know enough about military structure, but tell me one more time how are they distributed?

Are they getting to what brigade? and are they getting to the every day GI Jane & Joe ?

Guess the Color Guard thing throws me off.

I will try and make some can't commit to a number, I have it hard enough finding the time to turn much.
 
Hi John,
Your question is a fair and honest one.
There are several or many different programs wherein we make pens and they go to the servicemen and women.
Here's how this one works: I belong to NCMS. You can see some of the things we do here: NCMS History.
Each year, we have an annual training conference wherein the opening ceremony includes presentation of the colors.
At the conference, we present a couple of pens on stage to the Color Guard during the opening ceremony.
They distribute the pens to the other servicemen and women.
We also support our servicemen and women with strong contributions to support agencies.
This year it was VetDogs and the Wounded Warrior Project.
If you or anyone else has further questions, please don't hesitate to ask.
Thank you.
 
Hi Gary,
I'm knew to the forum. Do these pens that we've made? I'm just starting and haven't made anything. However I do have a vast collection of pens I'm trying to find new homes for.
 
Hi Angi,
Never thought about that before but I don't see why not.
If you have a collection & want to thin the herd,
I expect a hand-made pen is a hand-made pen and still a good gift for our servicemen and women.
Thank you.
 
Some time ago (four Months anyway) a very generous gentleman from Texas sent me blanks and some slimline kits with various finishes (gold, chrome, gunmetal, pearl, etc) to give me the materials to turn some pens for servicemen. I had the lathe, mandrel, chisels and finishing stuff but no way to cut and drill the blanks (had used the pre-drilled easy blanks from PSI previously). A friend cut and drilled them for me but it took some time before he was able to do so. Then I've had a few health problems so everything is behind my desired completion date. They are almost done (at long last) . I'm doing the finishing of 12 sets of blanks this week and then it won't take very long to assemble. So they will definitely be ready to ship to you soon for inclusion in the 2015 pen lot. A question: What's the best way to ship them to you? I thought originally about USPS Flat Rate Package but was wondering about the famed USPS rough handling of packages. How have others sent them to you?
 
Hi Ernie,
Most people pack the completed pens in paper or bubblewrap in a USPS flat rate box and mail them.
I don't believe any of the pens have been damaged in shipping this way.
I'm looking forward to your contributions.
Thank you!
 
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