I know that I am in the “dog house” when one of my friends and frequent visitors to this blog told me that he didn’t go to my blog any more because there was never anything new in it. Alas, that is so true and there are reasons for it, not excuses, reasons. I am not a person you will find on Facebook or Twitter because I don’t care to bare my soul to the world and what I do minute by minute is of no importance to anyone but me. I feel that what I include in this blog should be of interest to everyone and of some use to someone. For that reason I have not been to forthcoming with news as there has not been a lot. My carving has been curtailed to a great degree by other events and activities. For instance I have been carving canes like crazy, more on that in a moment. My activities as Chairman of Operation Cane of Texas and President of the Texas Woodcarvers Guild along with doing some teaching in my shop have really cut into my time. This is not a complaint, just busy, and as a consequence have not developed any news that is worthy of your attention in this blog.
On the subject of Operation Cane, we have taken on an additional responsibility for the Eagle Cane Project. Jack Nitz, who has done yeoman service coordinating the carving of canes for our Wounded Warriors nation wide needed help. Operation Cane of Texas will be picking up responsibility for the Eagle Cane website effective the first of February. By sponsoring this web site ( eaglecane.com ) we will be releaving Jack of some of his work load. As you recall in my last update I mentioned that we had gone over the 500 mark in canes that we have presented to our Wounded Warriors, well that number has increased by several since November and we have reached 520 canes. I now have Ed Ramsey working with me so that has been a great help. We are both looking forward to the day that our work load drops off as that will mean fewer casualties, unfortunately that does not look as if it will happen soon. This program, started by Jack Nitz, has been a real morale builder for our troops. Unless you have met and talked to these young people you cannot know how important it is, and we just touch a small portion of these wonderful troopers, male and female. I have had people ask me how long it take to carve one of these canes and do you know I cannot answer that, I can only guess, as I don’t keep track of the time. Ed and I have discussed it and we estimate that we have maybe 35 to 40 hours in each cane. I don’t know, I get a request and try to get it out in 10 to 14 days. I have not been to successful at that lately as I get 3 to 5 requests at a time so they all run together. Suffice to say that we try to turn these cane around as quickly as possible for the requester deserves that service. Let me say that this in not work. It is, at risk of sounding corny, a labor of love. Those of you that are Viet Nam vets will understand what I say when I say I will not let one of our military go unappreciated.
I want to spend a moment talking about these warriors that are receiving our canes, they are from all over the country, from all walks of live, all races and religions, they are our Military, our protection. Until, as I said, you talk with them and look into their eyes you cannot understand who they really are. I have had the privilege, no honor, to shake the hands of hundreds of them, having visited Brooke Army Medical Center in San Antonio, Texas ten times over the last 5 years. What I have found is that they are loyal, dedicated men and women who love their country and are proud of what they are doing. Who are they, they are the young Marine that was burned over 96% of his body, the mother of two who lost both her legs and is working out to get the strength to learn to handle herself in a wheel chair and eventually on new legs, the Sergeant who also lost his legs and is now running in marathons. The young people are overcoming more than most of us can imagine and more importantly they are doing so with a smile, a positive attitude. You cannot get one of them to feel sorry for themselves, mostly they are worried about their friends and want to get back to them. I can still remember my first trip to BAMC. I spent hours in the hospital meeting and talking to these wonderful young men and women and then drove the 280 miles back to Dallas from San Antonio. As I told my wife when I got home, I cried most of the way home, not tears of sympathy or hurt, but rather tears of pride. I could not believe what I had seen and heard. I told myself that if this was the example of our military and more importantly of our young people, our country is in good hands for many years to come.
I will get off my soap box now but before I do I will only ask that when you see someone in the uniform of the United States military please tell them thank you for their service. There are a lot of vets around today who did not hear those words after Viet Nam and they are a little bitter and I know and understand why.
On another note I hope we will see you in Kerrville for the Spring Roundup, there will be lots of good carving with lots of classes. Hope to see you there.
Walter
