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Joe
Waldron of South Lyon never could ignore the stories his wife, Pat,
told him about growing up poor. Pat recalled that the kids in her
family never had new clothes or shoes, except for the generosity of a
local Goodfellows organization.
“There's
always been a place in my heart for the Goodfellows because of that,”
Joe Waldron said.
When
Pat's health took a turn for the worse last year, Waldron decided he
would like to try to pay back that old debt to the Goodfellows. The
Highland Goodfellows still help out local families in need —
providing food, holiday baskets and assistance with bills.
Waldron
started making small wooden toys and selling them after weekly
services at Highland United Methodist Church, where he and his wife
are members. There were no prices — just a table of home-made toys.
Every penny would go to the Highland Goodfellows.
“I
didn't know what would come of it,” said Waldron. “But I figured
that I may as well try it.”
Waldron
never was a woodcrafter — he has never had the time. The busy
veteran spent many years on the line at the Michigan Truck Plant in
Wayne.
Time
off was filled with caring for children at his former Highland
Township home. Pat and Joe took in a total of 19 foster kids from
less fortunate backgrounds. They ended up adopting three, and raising
them after their own three children were older.
Waldron
had hoped to get into woodworking after he retired nearly 20 years
ago. But part-time jobs and family matters took up most of his days.
Lack
of experience did not stop Waldron from jumping into something new,
now that life has slowed down a bit.
“I'll
never have half the talent that most of these guys have, but it is
something I like to do,” said Waldron.
He
tried a couple of patterns, but mostly tinkered around to design
little trucks, wagons and planes. He set up mini assembly lines where
he cut and assembled a new vehicle each day.
“Pretty
much September through Christmas-time I did nothing but make toys,”
admitted Waldron.
The
senior recently gave a few toys he made to the youngest of his 10
grandkids, plus his two great-grandkids.
“Down
the road I think they will really appreciate having these toys their
grandpa made,” he said.
He
is hoping to teach his 10-year-old grandson to make toys when the boy
visits in a few weeks. Yet, Waldron had the best surprise of all when
his 19-year-old granddaughter showed a real interest in his
handiwork.
“After
she looked at pictures, she asked for one, so I made sure I sent her
a few of them in the mail,” said Waldron.
Even
in an age when every kid owns a mountain of shiny plastic toys, the
children at Highland United Methodist Church were still mesmerized by
the little wooden Jeeps and motorcycles. As children walked up to try
out the toys, Waldron watched them with twinkling eyes. Toys that he
created from a few pieces of wood came alive with the help of little
imaginations.
The
retiree ended up selling more than he ever expected. He collected
more than $800 worth of donations for the Highland Goodfellows.
He
also gave the leftover toys to the Goodfellows so they could be given
away to local families with Christmas baskets.
Now
that the toy project is finished, Waldron is having fun trying out
woodcarving.
He
recently finished an interesting looking man with blue eyes — made
from aged driftwood. It may resemble Waldron, just a little.
“I've
had this driftwood for a long time and I'm just now getting around to
carving it,” he explained. “You have to go with the shape of the
piece, and make it into whatever it shapes up to be.”
