By JULIE CARLE
BG Independent News
Mike Shertzer has a saying: “Most times wood can speak louder than words.”
It’s a message that he and the roughly 20 members of the Northwest Ohio Woodworkers Guild share at senior citizens centers, libraries and this week at the Wood County Fair. In fact, 2024 marks the 20th anniversary of guild members sharing their enthusiasm and expertise with visitors at the fair.
While they know everyone loves a good demonstration, they also know the key to selling the joy of woodworking is by doing. That’s why they provide simple projects for their audience to try, said Shertzer, a retired agricultural education teacher at Bowling Green High School.
After a person completes the project, they realize, “I can do this,” he said. They also experience the satisfaction and pride of turning a piece of wood into something useful and beautiful. Shertzer and his woodworking buddies hope that is the moment they decide they might want to learn more.
From the start of the fair through Friday (Aug. 2) from 6-8 p.m., a couple of guild members are on hand to encourage fairgoers to stop by and learn about basic woodworking skills.
On Sunday night, Shertzer was surrounded by bags of wooden parts and pieces, glue and clamps eager to teach fairgoers how to make a wooden thread. Other nights of the fair include lessons that focus on lathe turning, working on small projects, scroll sawing, and using old antique tools to make some projects.
Using his best teacher skills, acquired over 42 years in the classroom, he calmly explained the simple steps as the fairgoers turned the tap and die to add threads to a wooden dowel.
The Northwestern Woodworkers Guild started in 2002 for Bowling Green and surrounding area residents to engage with one another over woodworking projects.
“We got together and formed a group because we thought we could help each other out, use our skills and promote it,” he said. “It became successful.”
Though Shertzer taught wood shop as part of the agricultural curriculum in the high school, he initially learned woodworking skills as a young 4-H member in Fremont. He enjoyed the work, so it made perfect sense for him to incorporate the lessons in his high school classes, where he was also the FFA adviser for 42 years.
As his skills improved over the years, he started to make projects for himself. After he retired in 2012, he found more time to complete many more projects, now most of them for family and friends at no charge.
Toolbox Making project for kids
In addition to the nightly demonstrations, the guild will host the woodworking demonstration on Saturday (Aug. 3) from 2-4 p.m., followed by a Toolbox Making Project for kids from 4-5 p.m. Both sessions are in the Fine Arts Building.
“We’ll provide all of the materials for a toolbox that the kids can take home with them,” he said. Guild members will supervise the activity.
“We’re trying to promote woodworking, and the next generations coming up are the ones we pass it down to,” Shertzer said. The toolbox-making is a popular and simple project that they can take home and use.
The idea to promote woodworking to the next generation is crucial to “preserving the history, tradition craftsmanship and artform of woodworking,” Shertzer said. However, beyond transitioning the skills to a younger population, “In their eyes, it’s exciting to make a project they created themselves,” he added.
Everyone is so busy these days, that it’s difficult to sell the younger generation on making time to do woodworking, he explained. “It’s hard for them to find time to practice woodworking outside of 4-H.”
Without industrial arts classes, students don’t have the same opportunities as they did previously to make something on their own. And yet, for the youths who successfully complete a woodworking project, their self-esteem is boosted, he said.
Shertzer, an active member of the BG Kiwanis Club, is also a cheerleader for using woodworking to help others. The Woodworkers Guild upholds those same values throughout the year. The members make 150 wooden toys to give to many different charitable groups. They also teach high school seniors some hands-on woodworking skills and sponsor the awards for the best adult woodworking projects at the fair.
“I enjoy doing that and helping people learn a little bit more about the tradition and the art of woodworking,” he said.
Anyone interested in joining the group or learning more about membership can talk with members at the fair or attend one of the regular meetings. The group meets at 7 p.m. on the fourth Tuesday of the month in September through November and January through May in the agricultural education classroom and shop at Bowling Green High School. The meetings usually include a guest speaker or demonstration, “something everyone can enjoy educationally,” Shertzer said.
