Issue Date: 12/4/06
Inside Santa's workshop
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"Santa's workshop got so busy he had to open up a branch down here," said Bonnie Armstrong, one of the helpers.
Santa's helpers, students from Palomar's toy-making class, displayed about 400 toys in front of one of the woodworking buildings Nov. 18, before shipping the wooden helicopters, dogs, alligators and other toys to children in need, said Charlie Bierman of the San Diego Fine Woodworkers Association.
"The toys are a wonderful way to give back to the community," said Chris Feddersohn, one of Palomar's woodworking instructors.
The handmade toys are given to the San Diego Fine Woodworkers Association to be distributed to child-care agencies such as St. Clare's Home County of San Diego Child Welfare Services, Social Advocates of Youth San Diego and the Marine Corps Community Services at Camp Pendleton, Bierman said.
This marks the eighth year for Palomar's class. Students make toys throughout the year, but during the holidays the woodworkers association tends to receive more requests for toys, Bierman said.
The Urban Forestry Program takes dead trees and trees that would normally be thrown in landfills and gives the wood to Palomar's Woodworking Department, Feddersohn said.
Feddersohn said each toy is unique because it is handmade and many of the toys are created from rare wood.
He said some of the wood the department receives is not for sale anywhere else and some of the trees are only found in San Diego.
This year, the toy-making class built 10 different toy models, many with moving parts and each model with a team leader to supervise construction.
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Julie Sonne
posted 7/24/08 @ 1:10 AM PST
Tell me, are you the Chris Feddersohn I knew 30+ years ago that lived in Seal Beach and had a water bed with no frame and built some wonderful furniture for your apartment? If so, I would love to hear from you. (Continued…)
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