News We Love: Florida woodworkers create thousands of toys for kids who may get nothing for Christmas

THE TOYS SURPLUS WITH PARTNER AGENCIES. AND NOW TO THIS WEEK’S WESH TWO COMMUNITY CHAMPION. AND THIS IS SOMEONE WE’RE HONORING JUST IN TIME FOR THE HOLIDAYS AND FOR SUCH A GOOD REASON. HE WORKS YEAR ROUND TO HELP THE VILLAGE’S WOODWORKERS CLUB CREATE TOYS FOR CHILDREN WHO WOULD OTHERWISE GET NOTHING FOR CHRISTMAS. SANIKA DANGE IS INTRODUCING US TO CONWAY WILLIAMS. SANTA’S WORKSHOPS GOT NOTHING ON THESE GUYS ON THE BUSY SHOP FLOOR OF THE VILLAGERS WOODWORKERS CLUB OR BWC MAGIC IS BEING MADE EVERY DAY. WE ACTUALLY MAKE ABOUT 65 DIFFERENT TOYS THAT WE DONATE OUT, ANOTHER TWO DOZEN PUZZLES, AND THEN WE MAKE SOME SPECIALTY TOYS. IT’S ONE OF THE BUSIEST TIMES OF THE YEAR AS THEY WORK TO GET READY FOR THE CHRISTMAS HOLIDAY, THE GROUP CREATED 23 YEARS AGO, WHEN SOME VILLAGERS SET A GOAL TO MAKE 50 WOODEN TOYS, CUTTING OUT PIECES IN ONE GARAGE, SANDING THEM IN ANOTHER AND ASSEMBLING THEM. BUT HIS REQUESTS STARTED POURING IN. THE GROUP ENDED UP MAKING MORE THAN 140 GIFTS THAT YEAR, AND SINCE THEN, THE GROUP HAS GROWN RAPIDLY WITH ALMOST 9300 TOYS VALUED AT MORE THAN $76,000 ALREADY SHIPPED THIS HOLIDAY SEASON. AND AT THE HEART OF THE ORGANIZATION ARE THE MEN AND WOMEN WHO POUR LOVE INTO EVERY PROJECT. I’M IN HERE OVER 200 DAYS A YEAR, SO IT’S LIKE A FULL TIME JOB. IT HAS A LOT OF IMPACT. I MEAN, WE GET A LOT OF INTEREST, A LOT OF A LOT OF PEOPLE VERY HAPPY. IT PRESENTS THE IT HELPS THE VILLAGES. I MEAN, WE’RE THE, YOU KNOW, VILLAGES, WOOD SHOP AND WE’RE A NONPROFIT. AND THIS IS, THIS LENDS IT RIGHT, RIGHT INTO IT, QUIET BUT VERY DETAILED AND VERY HARD WORKING. I WAS TEACHING THE NEW PEOPLE. CONWAY WILLIAMS HAS BEEN A PART OF THE ORGANIZATION ALMOST SINCE ITS INCEPTION, BECOMING. HEAD OF THE TOY DEPARTMENT EIGHT YEARS AGO. IT’S VERY REWARDING. AND BECAUSE A LOT OF THESE CHILDREN LIVE IN, UH, DIRE CIRCUMSTANCES AND SO FORTH, THEY DON’T HAVE ACCESS TO PERHAPS ELECTRONICS AND THE TOYS THAT WE MAKE ARE IMAGINATION DRIVEN. NO BATTERIES, NOTHING LIKE THAT. SO IT HELPS THE CHILDREN GROW AND MATURE MORE AND LEARN TO DO THINGS ON THEIR OWN. THE TOYS MADE HERE SUPPORT CHILDREN IN SUMTER, LAKE AND MARION COUNTIES THROUGH SCHOOLS, CHURCHES AND CHARITABLE ORGANIZATIONS LIKE THE CHILDREN’S HOME SOCIETY OF FLORIDA, OPERATION SHOEBOX AND SOZO KIDS. MORE THAN 120,000 TOYS HAVE BEEN DONATED SINCE THE START OF THE PROGRAM. THIS IS A TEAM OF PEOPLE WHO ARE VERY DEDICATED TO THE IDEA THAT THE CHILDREN ARE IMPORTANT, AND OUR FUTURE, SO THAT WE’RE TRYING TO DO WHAT WE CAN TO HELP THEM MATURE THE CAUSE IS NEAR AND DEAR TO CONWAY’S HEART, WHO HAS THIS WISH FOR KIDS THIS YEAR? I HOPE THAT THE TOYS THAT WE DONATE TO THEM, GIVE THEM SOME JOY IN THEIR LIFE AND THAT THEY HAVE SOMETHING THAT THEY CAN CALL THEIR OWN. SO IT’S VERY IMPORTANT TO GIVE THEM THAT FEELING. A WESH 2 COMMUNITY CHAMPION DEDICATE TO THE TRUE MEANING OF THE HOLIDAYS IN THE VILLAGES SANIKA DANGE, WESH TWO NEWS. WHAT A WONDERFUL STORY AND I’M SURE THAT FEELING WILL BE. I’M SURE THOSE KIDS WILL HAVE THAT FEELING ABSOLUTELY OF JOY AND SOMETHING OF THEIR OWN. WELL, DO YOU KNOW SOMEONE WITH A HISTORY OF DOING GOOD HERE IN CENTRAL FLORIDA? WESH SHE WANTS TO KNOW ABOUT THEM. NOMINATE THOSE WITH THE TRACK RECORD OF GIVING BACK FOR WESH 2 COMMUNITY CHAMPION SPOTLIGHT. EMAIL US THE DETAILS ABOUT YOUR NOMINEE TO COMMUNITY CHAMPION AT

Conway Williams works year-round for The Villages Woodworkers Club — in The Villages, Florida — to create toys for kids who would otherwise get nothing for Christmas.Santa's workshop has nothing on these guys. On the busy shop floor of The VWC, magic is being made every day. "We actually make about 65 different toys and specialty toys," Williams said. It's one of the busiest times of the year as they work to get ready for the Christmas holiday. The group was created 23 years ago when some residents of The Villages set a goal to make 50 wooden toys. The group used one garage to cut out the pieces and another to sand and assemble. But as requests started pouring in, the group ended up making more than 140 gifts that year. Since then, the group has grown rapidly, with almost 93,000 toys valued at more than $76,000 already shipped this season. At the heart of the organization are the men and women who pour love into every project. "I'm in here over 200 days a year, so it's like a full-time job," Williams said. Conway Williams has been part of the organization almost since its inception, and he became head of the toy department eight years ago. "It's very rewarding because a lot of these children live in dire circumstances. They don't have access to electronics, so the toys that we make are imagination-driven and have no batteries," Conway said. "It helps the children grow and mature and learn to do things on their own."The toys made at VWC support children in Sumter, Lake and Marion counties through schools, churches and charitable organizations like the Children's Home Society of Florida, Operation Shoebox and Sozo Kids. More than 120,000 toys have been donated since the start of the program. "This is a team of people who are very dedicated to the idea that the children are important in our futures, so we're trying to do what we can to help them mature," Williams said. This cause is near and dear to Williams' heart, who has a special wish for kids this year. "I hope the toys we donate to them give them some joy in their life and that they have something they can call their own. It's very important to give them that feeling," Williams said. A local hero and organization dedicated to the true meaning of the holidays.

Conway Williams works year-round for The Villages Woodworkers Club — in The Villages, Florida — to create toys for kids who would otherwise get nothing for Christmas.

Santa's workshop has nothing on these guys. On the busy shop floor of The VWC, magic is being made every day.

"We actually make about 65 different toys and specialty toys," Williams said.

It's one of the busiest times of the year as they work to get ready for the Christmas holiday. The group was created 23 years ago when some residents of The Villages set a goal to make 50 wooden toys. The group used one garage to cut out the pieces and another to sand and assemble.

But as requests started pouring in, the group ended up making more than 140 gifts that year.

Since then, the group has grown rapidly, with almost 93,000 toys valued at more than $76,000 already shipped this season.

At the heart of the organization are the men and women who pour love into every project.

"I'm in here over 200 days a year, so it's like a full-time job," Williams said.

Conway Williams has been part of the organization almost since its inception, and he became head of the toy department eight years ago.

"It's very rewarding because a lot of these children live in dire circumstances. They don't have access to electronics, so the toys that we make are imagination-driven and have no batteries," Conway said. "It helps the children grow and mature and learn to do things on their own."

The toys made at VWC support children in Sumter, Lake and Marion counties through schools, churches and charitable organizations like the Children's Home Society of Florida, Operation Shoebox and Sozo Kids.

More than 120,000 toys have been donated since the start of the program.

"This is a team of people who are very dedicated to the idea that the children are important in our futures, so we're trying to do what we can to help them mature," Williams said.

This cause is near and dear to Williams' heart, who has a special wish for kids this year.

"I hope the toys we donate to them give them some joy in their life and that they have something they can call their own. It's very important to give them that feeling," Williams said.

A local hero and organization dedicated to the true meaning of the holidays.

News We Love: Florida woodworkers create thousands of toys for kids who may get nothing for Christmas

Share

Share

Share

Top Picks