It Takes A Pen To Raise A Village
It Takes A Pen To Raise A Village
The quiet whispers of docents talking among themselves was interrupted by the whirring of a lathe as woodworker Jay Hockenberry showed off some of the hands-on aspects of his trade at the Newtown Historical Societyâs open house at the Matthew Curtiss House last weekend.
But while it may have been the grinding of chisels on wood, or the flying sawdust that drew visitors close to his work, it provided the draw Mr Hockenberry was looking for to promote his true passion.
The retired IBM executive from Southbury, along with his wife, Rae Ann, and six others from the United Methodist Church of Woodbury have become unofficial diplomats for a small village in Ghana. The village of Awowbrew, about two hours from Ghanaâs capital city of Accra, is located in such a far flung region that one of the only industries available to villages involves working with materials brought into the village from the outside world.
Upon their visit, the Hockenberrys became so entranced that they returned to the United States and launched plans to help the villagers in as many ways as possible. Mr Hockenberry estimates that the Methodist Church and other supporters have raised about $15,000, which has been used to help build two school buildings and a storage facility, as well as purchase desks and books for the school.
A model of the village development was on prominent display in the lobby of the societyâs Main Street headquarters during the event.
Mr Hockenberry said since his earlier visit, he was looking for opportunities to bring some type of commercial venture to the village. Last September he returned to Awowbrew, bringing with him $1,000 in donated materials to start that cottage industry.
During that visit, Mr Hockenberry taught the Ghanaian cabinetmakers how to turn pens from scraps of exotic native wood. The goal was to have the cabinetmakers teach others to make these attractive pens, which would then be sold in the United States.
Because the materials and tools were donated, all profits from the American sales of these pens are returned to the village. And during the open house, Mr Hockenberry was offering a selection of the pens for about $35 each.
Mr Hockenberry also exhibited some of unique bowls and wood carvings that he has crafted, which were displayed alongside prototypes of the pens he hopes will infuse economic vitality into that small village in Ghana.
Besides the woodworking activities, the society provided several docents who guided visitors through the house, showing off the societyâs most recent acquisitions. Anyone interested in learning more about the historical society can call 426-5937, or visit NewtownHistory.org for additional information.