Lake Superior Woodturners use love of lathes to make wig stands for Ruth’s Free Wig Closet
Saturday during the day, in a workshop in Superior, the Lake Superior Woodturners were busy making trophies for the upcoming Northwestern bonspiel.
“We’re a collection of woodturners, our members come from Barnum, Grand Rapids, Bayfield, Saginaw, Superior, all over the Northland,” explained Susan Van Loon Runnoe, the president of the chapter.
They use lathes, which helps them make anything round.
Recently, their members worked on making wig stands. It was an effort offered by their national association, and then picked up locally.
Ray Hyde, a member from Mason, recently lost a sister-in-law to cancer. “This whole idea really hit close to home.”
He saw the story on WDIO about Ruth’s Free Wig Closet back in October. The organization helps women get a free wig, when they’re going through their cancer journey. Hyde reached out to Sharon Rasmussen, who runs the Grand Rapids chapter, to see if they’d take the stands.
“We are so excited, and I think our ladies are going to treasure them,” Rasmussen said.
She and Jeanie Thompson, from the original closet in Aitkin, are going to decide how to move forward with the stands.
Thompson told us, “They are beautiful, and it’s nice for other people to have this connection with us.”
“The wig stands really took off. We definitely do want to give back to our community,” Van Loon Runnoe added.
For more information about the Lake Superior Woodturners: https://www.lakesuperiorwoodturners.com/
They have a meeting coming up on Saturday. And they always welcome new people.
They are also looking forward to the opening of the Superior Craft School, where they’ll be able to have more space for members.
For make an appointment with Ruth’s Free Wig Closet, here is the contact information:
Sharon in Grand Rapids: 218-244-7596
Jeanie in Aitkin: 218-838-0441