Help a Veteran Build a Healing Woodworking Shop

Hello, my name is Wayne. I am a proud veteran of the United States Navy, where I served as a Hospital Corpsman, billeted to the U.S. Marine Corps as an 8404 Field Medical Technician. I deployed to the Persian Gulf during Operation Desert Shield/Storm, serving alongside some of the finest Marines and Sailors in our nation’s history. After my military service, I returned to my hometown in New Hampshire to start my family and embarked on a 20-year career as a police officer.

Unfortunately, my law enforcement career ended after I sustained permanent injuries during the arrest of two felons in a stolen vehicle. Among those injuries was significant damage to my right eye, resulting in a permanent loss of peripheral vision. These injuries, combined with my military and police experiences, led to a diagnosis of PTSD with severe depression and anxiety.

Through therapy at the VA, I have learned several coping strategies to manage these challenges, but one activity has become my lifeline: woodworking. What began as a hobby in my basement has evolved into a passion and a crucial form of self-therapy. Unfortunately, the noise disrupted my family, so I moved my “shop” to a small, poorly constructed 10x10 shed that came with our house. The shed is uninsulated and barely functional—sweltering in the summer and freezing in the winter—making it increasingly difficult to pursue woodworking as a meaningful outlet.

My dream is to build a new 24x24 workshop on our property. I’ve managed to construct the floor, but financial challenges have made further progress nearly impossible. I make regular trips to big-box stores and lumber yards to buy discounted, damaged wood, but this piecemeal approach has slowed progress and compromised quality. My tools are a collection of hand-me-downs and loaners, many of which are outdated, unsafe, or inaccurate.

This is where I humbly ask for your help. Your support will go toward:

- Completing construction of a safe, insulated, and functional workshop.

- Acquiring new, safer, and more accurate tools to continue my woodworking journey.

- Enhancing my ability to use woodworking as a therapeutic outlet to manage PTSD, depression, and anxiety.

This shop is more than a building; it is a space for healing, growth, and creativity. Woodworking has given me purpose, and with your generosity, I can continue this journey in a safe and supportive environment.

Every donation, no matter the size, will make a difference. If you can’t donate, sharing this campaign with others would mean the world to me. Thank you for taking the time to read my story and for your kindness and support.

Wayne