The Laker/Lutz News

Serving Pasco since 1981/Serving Lutz since 1964

‘Santa’s workshop’ at the library

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Volunteers are painting handmade wooden toys at the Land O’ Lakes Branch Library to be donated to the Toys for Tots program. The library’s Foundry Makerspace woodworkers volunteered their time to create approximately 100 wooden toys. Now, it’s holding painting sessions to give the toys a bit more personality. The library, at 2818 Collier Parkway in Land O’ Lakes, could use some volunteers to get the work done. Anyone over 16 is invited to pitch in. Teens can earn volunteer hours and painting supplies are provided. To find out more, call the library at (813) 929-1214.

Volunteer Cherie Zellmer, of Land O’Lakes, begins to custom paint a toy truck. Toys that have already been painted, in the background, serve as an inspiration. Zellmer takes part in a regular drawing class at the library and was happy to pitch in when she heard help was needed to paint the toys. (Christine Holtzman)
Library Assistant Kerry Peters, of Lutz, paints a wooden car toy a bold color of blue during a recent Toys for Tots painting session.
Land O’ Lakes Library assistant and resident artist Jayde Archbold laughs, while painting a toy that will be distributed by Toys for Tots. The Dade City resident came up with the idea for the painting program after seeing all of the unpainted toys in the Toys for Tots donation bin that were made in the library’s Foundry Makerspace. Archbold thought: Why give children plain wooden toys when they can be colorfully painted?
Carmen Quiles, of Wesley Chapel, uses a paintbrush to paint a yellow door on a multi-colored truck toy. She wanted to help, as a way to give back to the community.

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