Marwood Veneer Supplies Troops for Longboard and Penny Board Build Projects as part of New Initiatives in Varsity Boy Scouting

Feb. 18, 2015 - The Boy Scouts of America have begun to look to trusted supplier, Indiana-based Marwood Veneer, for its skateboard build projects under new initiatives in Varsity Boy Scouting in San Francisco, CA. Scout Leader David White of Troop 946, has been active in scouting programs for 30 years, and sees an opportunity for engagement and achievement through skateboard and longboard build classes done in a traditional woodworking shop. Since he has had a long love of woodworking spanning 30 years, a series of classes for the Varsity Boy Scouting program in the area has been an easy fit.

"I first took a troop through the activities about two years ago, and we are on our second round of woodworking students from the scouting program," he said. Participants have included those from the San Francisco Bay Area Council, including Trey Cranney, Mason Bloomfield, Jake Paul, Holden Poplawski, Michael Wu, Alex Gauthier, Marc Gauthier, Tommy Doxey, and Jordan Reni.

The project can be completed in about nine 1.5 hour sessions, two-to-four a month. "They use their hands, learn shop safety, learn about various tools and apply problem-solving skills. And, they come up with their own unique design," White added. He indicated that he has searched online for veneers and concluded, "Marwood had the best selection in sizes, shapes and types from my internet search. I believe Marwood Veneer has the best veneer product out there for this."

Varsity Scouting holds special appeal to older boys. Its unique leadership approach involves all adult and youth members, and this flexible program challenges boys who want a rugged outdoor experience. It is well-suited those boys over 14 years of age who have outgrown the traditional Boy Scout program and are ready to move on to a more challenging high-adventure program, White pointed out.

According to the Boy Scouts of America, chartered organizations with a large number of older boys may want to form a Varsity Scout team. These young men rise to the challenge and opportunity of learning leadership skills, White said.

The 59-year-old company based in Jeffersonville-Indiana has seen a resurgence in interest regarding wood veneer for skateboard and long board builds in recent years. Jim Martin, CEO of Marwood, would like to see scout engagement grow across the country through skateboard builds. "Both the Boy Scouts and Girl Scout leaders can utilize skateboard build workshop series in woodworking shops around their communities to really support the underlying leadership training mission of their programs," Martin said.

Marwood Veneer Inc. was listed recently as a trusted veneer source for skateboards in the newly published guide called, "The Handmade Skateboard," from Spring House Press. The book is sold nationwide at skateboard shops, wood specialty stores, and online. Visit www.marwoodveneer.com to purchase veneer kits for skateboarding or snowboarding design and build projects, as well as the book.

White added that the finished boards are works of art, and the top layer may include some exotic woods, although most skateboards are made of maple for durability, and the appropriate thickness. In the full workshop, scouts use a variety of tools. White has a table saw, band saw, planer, and lathe available, for example, and provides intensive instruction, and safety training in advance of use.

Skateboarding has been noted as pure recreation, an art form, and a career, not to mention a form of transportation. A 2013 report by Statista.com found there are approximately 6.35 million active skateboarders in the world.

About Marwood Veneer
Marwood is a leading provider of domestic, imported, and sustainable-sourced hardwood veneers for both the U.S. and overseas markets, serving a variety of industries, including architectural woodwork, plywood manufacturers, and furniture manufacturers. Marwood has a wide variety of veneers available, including exotics and domestics. From quartered and highly figured, to flat cut and no figure, their wood veneers have the texture, color, thickness, and shape you need to finish any of your projects. The company was founded by Lyman Martin Jr., Jim Martin's father. For more information, go to www.marwoodveneer.com.