CUMBERLAND — Incarcerated individuals at Western Correctional Institution are spreading holiday cheer through a meaningful tradition — crafting handcrafted wooden toys for less fortunate children involved in local charities across the Cumberland area.
In so doing, the inmates learn work skills designed to help them stay on the right course when they reenter society.
“Programs such as this offer the public a powerful reminder of the positive contributions our incarcerated population can make from behind the wall,” said Carolyn J. Scruggs, Maryland Department of Public Safety and Correctional Services secretary.
“Their willingness to give back, especially during a season focused on generosity and compassion, reflects the meaningful impact that restorative opportunities have in reducing recidivism and changing the trajectory of our incarcerated’s lives.”
WCI’s Toy Shop completed more than 300 wooden toys for local children, all handmade from raw pine. Each toy is sanded for safety and left unpainted to encourage the creativity of the children who receive them.
The toys produced this year include two rolling dinosaurs — a T-Rex that chomps as it rolls and a rolling brontosaurus whose head and tail bob up and down, along with two jewelry boxes shaped like a heart and a yin-yang that open to reveal a small storage space. Also crafted were a rolling biplane with a spinning propeller and a horse whose legs gallop as it rolls.
The toys were given Friday to Maryland State Police in conjunction with LaVale Baptist Church, the Union Rescue Mission and others, with all of the toys divided equally among each group.
The woodworking program is overseen by cabinetry and carpentry instructor Brian Hopwood, who guides the incarcerated participants as they build both creative projects and practical skills.
“The evidence is clear that the incarcerated individuals take pride in their work, knowing their efforts directly support members of the community during the holidays,” the department said in a release.
“This program also provides a meaningful work opportunity, hands-on experience that strengthens craftsmanship, supports mental well-being, and builds job readiness and skills that assist with successful reentry, including for those with disabilities who are wheelchair-bound.”