Turners now wanted for 2020 ‘pens for the troops’ mission

27 October 2019

Now headed overseas: 1329 pens made by Pens for the Troops in honour of this year’s Remembrance Day. Shown here, a selection of pens made from 308 cartridges configured as the ANZAC Rising Sun.

This year a drive was launched by woodworking club members all around Australia to turn pens from native species and send them to Australian troops stationed overseas. As a result 258 pens were sent for ANZAC Day, and a new goal set to henceforth send pens every year for not only ANZAC Day, but also Remembrance Day.

The target set for Remembrance Day 2019 was doubled to 500, but with many more pen turners heeding the call to action some 1329 pens were sent. The pens ranged from Slimlines and Streamlines to Sierras, and a selection of pens were even made from 308 cartridges.

Donations came from people who had only been turning for a couple of months while others came from seasoned veterans of the lathe. Each pen comes with a card noting the name of the maker and the wood used. If a member of the public or organisation makes a donation to cover pen costs their name is included on the card along with the name of the maker.

Pens made for overseas troops range from Slimlines and Streamlines to Sierras and all feature Australian native timbers.

‘The pens have headed out to destinations all over the globe, and for the first time we have even managed to get some to a crew on a submarine. Makes you wonder if the deliveryman will be wearing scuba gear or just using a snorkel!’, said Gippsland Woodcraft Group member Mik Lawrence. ‘Letters of thanks have already been received from senior officers at different bases and even a few personal letters from those who now own a hand turned pen from back home’, said Mik.

Building on their success, the goal for ANZAC Day 2020 has now been recalibrated to 1500, ‘although 2020 would be a more fitting number’, said Mik.

If you or your group would like to sign up to make pens for the troops you can get in touch via the group’s Pens for the Troops Facebook page.