Local woodworking group builds, donates ladders for bunk beds at East Texas Crisis Center

Published 1:00 pm Friday, August 6, 2021

The Woodworkers Club of East Texas delivered on Friday six wooden ladders to the East Texas Crisis Center that the club membership made after the previous ladders were damaged due to the February winter storm.

In February, the damages from the winter storm were far-reaching at the East Texas Crisis Center. From the walls and flooring, buildings had to be gutted and revamped. Among the affected items at the shelter were ladders for the kids’ bunk beds.

On Friday morning, the Woodworkers Club of East Texas delivered six ladders to the center to help the children reach the bunk beds used at the shelter.

Susan Walden, East Texas Crisis Center director of children’s prevention and education program, said because of water bursting out of pipes during the storm, flooring, walls and other materials were damaged, including the ladders that kids use to get into bunk beds.

“We had to do major construction throughout our building,” she said. “We realized our ladders for our bunk beds were no longer there.”

Walden called the Woodworkers Club of East Texas for help with making six ladders because the club membership has made donations in the past. She added the bunk beds help the shelter accommodate larger families in times of crisis and domestic violence incidents.



“We’ve been making do with step stools,” Walden said. “The custom-made ladders will be safer for the kids. We are so grateful to the Woodworkers of East Texas for their generous donation of the ladders because we had no idea what we were going to do.”

ETCC serves hundreds of people who have been affected by domestic violence and violent crimes each year. The center serves five counties, including Smith, Henderson, Van Zandt, Wood and Rains.

Walden said after the crisis center shelter reopened following the damages, several families and single women have come to the shelter for a safe haven. The crisis center has been holding summer camps to prepare the kids for the school year.

Roger Davis, president of the Wood Workers Club of East Texas, said the club has been working with the crisis center for the past five years. Members made toys and toy boxes for ETCC, and have plans to also build toys for churches and other charities.

“We, of course, are elated to do this kind of community work,” he said of building and donating the ladders.

The wood for the ladders came from Woodworkers Club of East Texas member Edgar Lamb’s Red Oak trees that were in his yard.

Davis gave his appreciation to Tyler Millworks and its President Jim Caine for the milling for the ladders.

He said the club received the phone call from the crisis center June 26 and the ladders were completed July 30.

“We’re really gratified to be able to help,” Davis said.

Davis said the club meets on the second Monday of each month at Roquemore’s Hardware in Whitehouse generally. Meeting information can be found on the club’s Facebook page at Woodworkers of East Texas.

To join, all people need is an interest in woodworking.