YouthBuild Students Help Build Rocking Chairs for Women of the Moose

GODFREY – Two of Lewis and Clark Community College’s YouthBuild students, James Allensworth, 21, of Godfrey, and Trevonte Caldwell, 18, of Alton, practiced detailed woodworking when they built two child-size rocking chairs, one painted pink and the other blue.

The chairs come apart and stack back together like a puzzle.

After building the rocking chairs, the students donated them to the Alton Women of the Moose for a raffle. The proceeds go to support the educational fund at the Mooseheart City School.

“It makes me feel really good,” Allensworth said. “It’s something that is going to go back to the community, and it’s for the children.”

Building the chairs was the first time either of the students had worked on a project requiring this amount of detail. The pattern was traced, and then the pieces were cut out. Since the rocking chairs come apart like a puzzle, the pieces had to be just right, or they would not fit together and come back apart.

“The students had to sand and sand and sand then paint, sand and repaint. Then, I would look the project over and tell them to go back and re-sand or re-paint,” YouthBuild Coordinator Sherrie Brenner-Kirbach said. “I think they got tired of me being so picky, but if little children will be using the chairs, they need to be smooth to the touch. Both James and Trevonte did a wonderful job, and the chairs are as cute, and smooth, as they can be.”
Building Futures: YouthBuild AmeriCorps is designed to assist 16-24 year old participants in their efforts to attain their GED, earn a Pre-Apprentice Certificate Training (PACT) certification and transition to college.

YouthBuild is one of 80 programs in the nation that is also an AmeriCorps affiliate, which promotes and reinforces the program’s mission to encourage leadership development and social awareness through community service.
“January is the Educational Month,” Brenner-Kirbach said. “What a more perfect time to create something for two local children that will benefit even more children in a global sense! I can’t see a better way for the YouthBuild students to learn the true meaning of serving, or giving back, than to participate in a project like this.”

The Women of the Moose raffles will take place Saturday, Dec. 20. Those who would like to purchase raffle tickets for either rocking chair can contact Brenner-Kirbach at (618) 468-4113. For more information on YouthBuild, visit www.lc.edu/Youthbuild.

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