MOORE — There is no better way to spend a Thursday morning than at the Brand Senior Center with woodcarver Wallace Stephens.
Stephens has been carving for about nine years and is eager to share his experience with anyone that is interested.
“I do woodcarving and anyone age 50 or older that is interested should check it out,” Stephens said. “There is no charge for any help I give them.”
Stephens and his wife, Elizabeth, moved to the Moore area almost three years ago from St. Joseph, Mo. He retired from the Missouri Highway Patrol in 1980 after 17 years with the department.
The Stephens have a son who was moved here while in the military and decided to stay after he retired. Another son is in the full time Oklahoma Air Naitonal Guard at Tinker and they wanted to be close to them. Another son was in the Navy and now is a registered nurse in California.
About nine years ago, Stephens said he was at a meeting in St. Joseph when a man came and gave a wood carving program. He remembers it was on a Tuesday.
“The next Thursday, five of us showed up and it grew from there,” he said.
The man had gone to the library in 1978 and got some books and taught himself to carve and since 1980 had shared his knowledge, Stephens said, and now he wants to pass on the legacy.
He has volunteered his knowledge at the Brand center since January and is eager to help anyone who wants to learn.
He also said there are more than 100 carvers in Oklahoma City that get together on Wednesday mornings and carve on N. May Avenue and Whitson. Midwest City has a group and seminars and training from professional carvers are held in Oklahoma City. Stephens would like to form a group closer to home in the Moore and Norman area.
Stephens said handicaps like arthritis shouldn’t be discouraged from wood carving and those without money for tools also are welcome to come.
While in St. Joseph, Stephens was active in the woodworkers guild. His club would carve more than 500 toys every Christmas for the Marine Toys for Tots program. They would make knick-knack or jewelry boxes and hand-held mirrors for the girls. Three different styles of tractor trailers would be made for the boys. The last week of October, all the toys would be sanded and wheels would be added to the trucks. The first week in November, they would deliver the toys to the Marine Corps, Stephens said.
The toys wouldn’t be painted because “many children have a problem with paint,” Stephens said.
“All the toys were made with scrap lumber,” Stephens said. “We called it our trash to treasure program.”
The Kansas City guild would make 15,000 toys every year but quit recently because of the liability.
“We were a small group and couldn’t afford insurance,” he said. “We had one guy who was responsible for checking out everything for possible hazards. We decided to gamble with it. We say ‘Lord, let us will do something good and not have a problem.”
Since that time, he has made things for his wife, like turned bowls and lamps.
“I got started in the carving and slowed down on everything else,” he said.
And while he carves, Elizabeth quilts.
Stephens is at the Brand Center, 501 E. Main St., from 9 to 11:30 a.m. every Thursday. He can be contacted there or can be reached at 759-2778.
