A Veteran -whether man or woman, active duty, retired, separated, National Guard, or reserve- is someone who, at one point in their life, wrote a blank check payable to the "United States of America" for an amount "up to and including my life".
Lean On Me
The Patriot Cane Project
During an evening class at the 2007 Learning Seminar, MWCA members learned how the Eastern Oklahoma Wood Carving Association developed a program to produce and deliver eagle-head canes for wounded Veterans. Our executive board then voted to establish such a project for Michigan military service personnel, and dubbed it, "Lean on Me". Several other states are now making canes and sending them to eligible Veterans.
MWCA requests that our members/clubs work through the Vetcane committee on this project. Clubs participate by hosting cane-making seminars in their area and by carving eagle-head handles. Carving rough-outs and eagle eyes are supplied. These are not just decorative canes, but are intended to assist our Veterans when things get a little wobbly. We make them sturdy.
Team members personalize each cane by designing a shaft decal representing the applicant's military service time, and trimmed to custom length. We then make arrangements with the requester for delivery of the finished cane, either by mail or presentation. Canes are provided at no cost to Veterans to honor their military service.
Over 5,200 canes have been presented to honored Veterans
by MWCA since 2007.
Click here to learn how to carve an eagle head cane handle.
SPECIAL NOTE:
As much as possible, we try to use an eagle head from a carver in the same geographic area as the cane recipient. We will also honor requests from individual carvers to use their eagle head on canes of relatives or friends, if noted on the cane request form.
THANK YOU to all the clubs and the 500+ Wood Carvers from across the state who have contributed eagle heads!!
Any questions? Contact...
Project Team Leader
Denny Sekrenes
(989)277-5739
To request a Patriot Cane, just submit a completed application and a copy of the Veteran's discharge form DD-214 to:
MWCA Patriot Cane Project
P.O. Box 153 Corunna, MI 48817
The following eligibility requirements apply:
Any Michigan Veteran who has received....
* A Purple Heart medal.
* The World War II Victory Medal.
* The U. N. Korean Service medal, or those who served in Korea or adjacent waters during 1950-1954.
* The Vietnam Service Medal, or those who served in Southeast Asia or adjacent waters during 1958-1975.
* Any U.S. military medal awarded with VALOR.
* Any U.S. military medal awarded for foreign service (Southwest Asia Service, Global War on Terrorism Expeditionary, etc.).
Tax-deductible donations to the MWCA Patriot Cane Fund may be sent to the Michigan Wood Carvers Association at P.O. Box 153, Corunna, MI 48817..
MWCA would be honored to assist any other state or regional wood carving association to start a Veterans cane program in your area. Contact Harry Dryer, at Harry.MWCA@gmail.com for details.