Woodworking By And For Veterans

Published on Thursday, January 2, 2025 in Community

Woodworking is a creative outlet for people across America, but to one Lenawee County nonprofit, it represents so much more.

Woodworking for Warriors is a 501(c)(3) organization that uses woodworking as therapy for military veterans. While it started as a program hosted by the Sam Beauford Woodworking Institute in Adrian, it steadily outgrew the space. The organization now operates out of its new home in Tipton, assisted by a Sharing Success Grant through CoBank and MEC.

Building a Community

Woodworking for Warriors started as a collaboration between the Adrian Rotary Club and the Sam Beauford Woodworking Institute. Every week, local veterans met at the woodshop to craft their projects, learn new skills, and form a community. John Abbey, president of the Woodworking for Warriors organization and a veteran himself, says this bond gave struggling veterans a stable foundation to rely on.

“With veterans, there’s a shared experience of self-isolation,” says Abbey. “What makes us different is that almost all programs are designed to lift the veteran’s spirit once, and then you go home. That’s not who we are. This is a place you can come back to on your time, on your initiative, without expectations, where people know you.”

New Opportunities

As word spread about the program, Abbey knew it would eventually outgrow the Sam Beauford Woodworking Institute.

After four years in operation, the Woodworking for Warriors 501(c)(3) organization was formed to carry the program into the future. A community member in Tipton soon offered to let the group use buildings on her property as workshop and classroom spaces. The organization secured a number of sponsorships and other forms of funding to assist with expenses, including a Sharing Success Grant provided by CoBank and MEC.

Join Woodworking for Warriors

The workshop is open every Friday and Saturday from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m., excluding national holidays. The only prerequisite is a safety training course presented by Woodworking for Warriors, which takes place at 10 a.m. on the first Saturday of each month.

The new Woodworking for Warriors workshop invites every veteran who would like to participate.

“We want to find the veterans who sit in the back of the church and may not have a place to go or feel welcome, and let them know they’re welcome,” says Abbey. “I’m grateful for the fellowship I have with my fellow veterans. I wasn’t looking for it, but it’s priceless.”

The Woodworking for Warriors workshop is located at 2821 M-50 in Tipton, Michigan. There is no need to register ahead of time for a safety training course. More information is available at WoodWorkingForWarriors.org.