Our series on

The Clubs of the Park…

The Silveridge Woodworkers

By

Dale Dauten

“A tree is our most intimate contact with nature”

George Nakashima, woodworker and furniture designer

Walking into the Silveridge Woodshop is unlike entering any other place in the park. First off, it’s filled with industrial equipment, much of it loud. And then the residents inside are remarkably intent, seeming to shut out everything around them. That might be because there are power saws and drills involved, but I came to suspect that it might have something to do with the hands-on connection to the wood itself, the “contact with nature” mentioned above.

The folks working in the shop are the Silveridge Woodworkers. They number around 30, mostly men but also several women. The shop is open most days from 8:30 to 11:30 AM and again from 1 to 3:30 in the afternoon. There are Monitors when the shop is open, folks who have extensive experience, and who satisfy liability requirements that come with all those machines in use.

One of those veteran woodworkers, Todd Lyons (shown in the shop, below) volunteered to fill us in about the club. Todd is officially VP, but has stepped up to a greater leadership role since the President, Allen Richardson, wasn’t able to get to the park last year and will arrive in January for this season.

We asked Todd what were the most popular projects for club members. “Bowls, cutting boards and pens,” he answered. But he also introduced me to Gary Cuskey who’s taken up making wooden toys. (That’s Gary in the photo with the start of an airplane.)

Further, there are also large projects that members have taken on, including those donated to the park. DuWayne “Andy” Andersen was kind enough to show us two of the places where you can see the work of Silveridge Woodworkers: as you head out the clubhouse to the pool, the trophy case, and if you use the library, you’ll see their work in upright bookcases like the one in the photo, and the cabinet beside it.

Andy also passed along a couple of photos of his impressive projects:

Getting Involved

Interested in knowing more? I spoke with Club President Allen Richardson by phone and asked him the best way for people to get involved. He urged anyone curious about woodworking to drop into the shop: “There are Monitors there who will be glad to give you a tour and answer your questions. And they are happy to help people sign up for the club and get started.” Allen added, “There is always a lot of one-on-one learning going on – people love to share ideas and techniques.”

A Quick Profile: Todd & Sharon Lyons

Whenever we get the chance to spend some time with Silveridge residents, we like to pass along a bit of background.

Todd Lyons is from Two Rivers, Wisconsin, and woodworking seems like a logical choice of a hobby after a career in tool & die making. He spent much of that career with Hamilton Industries, which became part of Thermo Fisher Scientific, and he headed the model shop where prototypes were created before becoming Director of Manufacturing and Engineering, a role which took him to manufacturing contractors all over the world – Germany, Italy and Hong Kong, among others. The company’s offices were in one plant that worked with metals and one with woods and Todd explained that when his office was in the wood plant he developed the interest that’s led him to his woodworking hobby. Todd’s wife, Sharon, also developed an interest and she is now in her second year as Secretary of the Woodworkers.

We always like to ask about how couples found each other: Todd told us that while he and Sharon went to the same grade school and grew up a couple of blocks apart, they didn’t really connect till after Todd finished his time with the Air Force and came back to Two Rivers to figure out the next phase of his life. He was tending bar at the Bolero bowling alley – 72 lanes! – and there he reconnected with Sharon, a member of a bowling team. Cheers!

The Lyons came to Silveridge as a way to spend time with their son, Chad, who moved to Mesa just days after finishing college. Todd said, “We were at home in Wisconsin and we looked for an RV resort online and narrowed it down to four. We asked Sharon’s cousin, who lived in Mesa, to visit all four and she said that she thought we’d like Silveridge the best. We came for three months that first year. Then the next was four and that grew to six.” Just recently they decided to sell their Wisconsin home and they instead bought a summer place in Prescott Valley.

Our Family Table

Message from Sue

My niece and her family sat around my festively decorated dining table. Plates overflowed with turkey, dressing, mashed potatoes, sweet potatoes, and green been casserole. Happy chatter from the children filled the room. As Jeff carved the turkey, I hurriedly put the buns in the oven (which I often forget until it’s time to pray!) It’s tempting to order dinner or eat at a restaurant but I always decide to prepare dinner at home. Nothing is better than being with family and smelling the lingering aroma of a turkey cooking in the oven! Mom always had a feast for Thanksgiving and Christmas. With a family of 10, a crowded holiday table signified God’s abundant blessings on our family. Through the years Jeff and I have carried on the tradition of our holiday feasts. There were many “disasters” in the early years; like an under or over cooked turkey, or the year I cooked the giblets in the turkey neck; paper and all!!

Some of our happiest holiday times were when the children brought their future spouses home for the holidays.

What fun it was to get to know each other and their family customs. What unexpected feelings of loneliness when they left to spend time with the other side of the family.

Since our years in Arizona, the holidays have been different. I miss the times when our young family would gather around the table. Now we have blended family times with our son and extended family in Tucson. This year Mom and Jerry will join us! Through the years many of us have attended the large Silveridge family dinner in the ballroom. Covid had brought many changes to our large gatherings. Six foot distancing, sanitizing and masks are issues that were rarely heard of pre-covid days.

Some of us feel it is safer to remain in smaller groups. Let us respect everyone’s point of view.

And let’s never forget the one thing that binds us; the love and friendships we have shared with one another.

Let us not be divided on this one truth; “In all things, love.” Yes, our tables may be smaller this holiday season but we can still celebrate our times together in other ways. We will survive these trying times and the uncertainty they bring. Let us just be grateful to be together once again. A long-time Canadian resident, Michael LeBlanc expressed this very thought in a farewell letter which I have published in this newsletter. As we reflect on these times, let us pick up our journals and write notes from this year’s holidays. I know mine will read,

“ Thank you God for my family and friends and for good health, sunshine, and fun.” We have so much to be thankful for and so much to look forward to as we gather around our family tables.

** Here is something to look forward to: The new upcoming 2022 Ticket Order List!! Watch for it in your mailbox soon! You will love all the entertainment and events I have planned for you!

With appreciation at the holidays-

We thank you and wish you a joyous holiday season.

The Silveridge Staff

A MESSAGE FROM DEWEY KLOSS OF THE

SILVERIDGE COMPUTER & TECHNOLOGY CLUB

Pres. Carol Folker and VP “Dewey” Kloos are pleased to introduce this new logo for Silveridge Computer & Technology Club. Though the pandemic kept SCTC from having meetings since March 2020, we’re planning a new start for 2021-2022.

Our first meeting is scheduled for Monday, December 13 at 9:00 AM in the Silver Center Ballroom. Doors will open at 8:30 AM for greeting friends. It will be a very important “organizational” meeting to help determine procedures and strategies for the new season.

No meetings are scheduled for December 20 & 27. Regular SCTC meetings will begin on Monday, January 3^rd, and as before, the Silver Center Ballroom doors will open at 8:30 AM.

Carol & Dewey are inviting both SCTC members from the 2019-2020 season and earlier, as well as residents new to Silveridge, who would like to learn more about and be more comfortable with their technology.

All residents may expect to find an informational letter regarding SCTC’s restarting regular meetings in their PO boxes after Christmas.

“We’re really excited to see our old friends and make new ones. New members often bring new ideas, spirit and energy.”

DuWayne “Dewey” Kloos

VP, Silveridge Computer & Technology Club

deweykloos@gmail.com

ACTIVITY CALENDAR

NOTE FROM THE EDITOR:

If you know someone in the park you’d like to learn more about via one of our People of the Park profiles, please let me know.

Or, if you have photos you’ll like to share in upcoming newsletters, please send them.

Dale Dauten, Editor

Email: ddauten@gmail.com

Text: 480-297-6244