Business Plan in 2010 – reality in 2022

Lake Los Angeles – This sign is on a 27-acre parcel of land which will soon be an educational campus and a center point for the communities of Lake Los Angeles, Littlerock and Pearblossom and communities in between. The address is 20301 East Palmdale Boulevard.

Other sites were considered but the desire to be closer to a smaller community was part of the original business plan and as Executive Director James Girsch said, “The door was opened to us in Los Angeles County.”

The educational center will be about wood trades, wood art, science and organic gardening where there will be networking with the food banks within the Antelope Valley.

“My business plan sat in my desk for a few years. I looked at it so often. Then I got started in 2017 and it has been ongoing ever since. At first a business concept or idea, whatever you want to label it, then I started putting bits and pieces together as I traveled all over the world, pulled excerpts from my original business plan, my experiences and put it all into a formal business plan. In May of 2017 in my way to another event which was cancelled, there I was with friends and colleagues, so I asked, ‘What do you think of this?’. In unison the response was, ‘Why has this not been started already?’

“From there, my colleagues became my first five members of Wood Crafters America.”

Goals that were set into motion that have been accomplished are:

1. Non-Profit Status. In 2 months, the IRS approved a 501.c application for Wood Crafters America as a school for wood trades and wood art.

2. Building a website in 217 which is up and running: https://woodcraftersamerica.org

3. Identifying 140 wood products that we will build and market.

4. Pictorial of things that our artists have created, and we will bring these products into our school.

Girsch remarked, “We want to encourage people to join our membership with a one-time fee of $35.00 which is tax deductible. The first 1,000 members will be our Founding Members and will benefit by being awarded Lifetime Membership status.”

Wood Crafters America has recruiting goals:

1. Find those 1,000 members

2. Recruit volunteers for 45 major projects

3. Recruit leadership volunteers

a. Director of Volunteers

b. Public Relations Manager

i. Fund raising

ii. Non-Profits

iii. Director of Fund Raising

When full functional, it will be a self-sustaining operation and bring 50-100 jobs to the school’s campus.

Girsch remarked on the website: With the fulfillment of our goals, Wood Crafters America will feature the “not for profit School Of Arts” where students of all ages, skill sets, and backgrounds are taught and trained in the art of wood design, fabrication and creation. A school where aspiring wood sculptors, chainsaw artists, wood burning design professionals, unique furniture builders and many more art disciplines, are schooled in the woodworking trades as we develop men and women into a strong community of artistic craftsmen.

Wood Crafters America's First 1000 founding members will be given a special Membership Benefit Package:

• Honorary lifetime member of Wood Crafters America

• Wall of fame recognition on our first educational building

• Special Recognition at the building dedication

• Two weeks free entry to the Wood Crafters America gym/workshop

• 90 days free consultation for home improvement projects or art design (from the date of our building dedication

• Special invitation to Wood Crafters America School of The Arts to create novelty item

• Gift item

A campus dedication event is scheduled for Sunday, July 17 at 2:00pm There will be a flag ceremony that will include flags from several countries, you will be introduced to the Mission Statement, overview of the campus development plans, membership opportunities, volunteer opportunities, wood crafters gymnasium and work shop plans, a solar system design, science building design, organic gardens plans, a wedding chapel venue, corporate meeting facility and a discussion on the planned school of arts.

Girsch emphasized, “I will leave this thought with you. Wood Crafters America is bigger than any one person. It has to do with the people we will serve – the people we can impact. We have set very high standards for business integrity.”

By Shirley Harriman