The story of the "All Come Home" table

Every year, we at ClearLake Furniture support the public schools in our area by donating to the live auction for the Okemo Community Challenge Ski Ball. This black-tie event is one of the biggest fundraisers each year. In the past, we've contributed gift certificates. Auction guests "won" $500 certificates for a little less than the face value and the Challenge raised much-needed money. All were happy.

I decided to do something more interesting this year. I designed and crafted a one-of-a-kind console table with two drawers. The top was made of Vermont maple with a cherry base and legs. But this is a one-of-a-kind table for a different reason. I added a cherry inlay on the maple table top with the words "all come home", which is the English translation of the Indian word "Okemo".

I've done many wood inlays in my career as a furniture crafters, but this one was by far the most challenging. Getting the curves right and fitting them tightly into the table top took many hours. I enlisted the help of the sign shop at Okemo Mountain Resort with their laser-cutting tools, which was a definite help.

The "all come home" table has a few other features that make it truly unique. For the top, I chose tapped maple because it had some beautiful streaks that resulted from moisture seeping in around the tap holes. This particular maple was "rescued" from being firewood, having been felled at a construction site in northern Vermont. The cherry for the base and legs was FSC-certified wood.

I also built in a secret drawer, which is a common feature in antiques. This practice dates back to the days when people didn't trust banks to store their precious treasures and papers. It seemed like a good add-on for this table, given the current state of our financial system.

In all, I invested more than 50 hours working on this one piece. It was a labor of love because I, too, support our schools and recognize that they need more than their meager budgets can provide. The table which would retail for $3,500 (if I had the energy to do this again) sold for $2,550 at the auction.

I feel good that this year, I donated more than gift certificates. I contributed my time, creative energy, and the skills that I have invested a lifetime in building. Giving doesn't need to require writing a check. Time is precious. Give it wisely!