There are plenty of ways to thank veterans for their service to this country.
Some folks do it with a few kind words. Some do it with a hearty handshake. Some offer hugs and tears.
Oxford resident Jerry Daniels expresses his gratitude by handcrafting special walking sticks adorned with military uniform buttons and giving them to veterans he knows or encounters.
‘I get such a kick out of it,? he said. ‘I enjoy seeing their faces light up.?
Daniels is a veteran of the U.S. Army, serving from 1966-68. His orders to go to Vietnam were cancelled and he ended up spending 18 months in West Germany as an ordnance inspector.
Today, he’s actively involved in both Oxford American Legion Post 108 and Oxford American Veterans (AMVETS) Post 108.
Daniels began making the walking sticks about 11 years ago for members of the Legion’s Honor Guard. He then started crafting them for older veterans at the post.
After that, the hobby sort of took on a life of its own.
‘Since April, I’ve done 32,? Daniels said.
He recalled giving one of his walking sticks to a veteran who had suffered a stroke.
‘He started crying, then his wife started crying,? Daniels said. ‘He liked that stick so much. Here was this big, tough guy crying.?
Another time he gave one to a U.S. Navy veteran from Florida who was visiting Oxford.
‘I told him to take it back to Florida, compliments of Post 108,? Daniels said. ‘Now, when he tells people where he got it, they’ll think highly of Post 108. I think that kind of goodwill goes a long way.?
Daniels made it clear he never, ever accepts any type of payment for his walking sticks. A smile and a simple ‘thank you? makes all the hours of hard work worth it for him.
Much of the wood he uses comes from Addison Oaks County Park in Addison Township where Daniels works as the groundskeeper for the historic Buhl Estate.
He started working there after retiring from a 30-year career with General Motors in 1998.
Many of his sticks are made from the wood of ash trees, which are plentiful at the park, particularly dead ones, according to Daniels.
‘I try to work with what’s available,? he said.
When Daniels talks about the different aspects of the woods he uses, there’s a passion in his voice and a twinkle in his eye. He clearly enjoys discussing every little detail from the grain pattern to the growth rings.
Daniels loves the natural beauty of the wood, so he tries to preserve and accentuate it as much as possible.
Imperfections in the wood, such as discoloration or damage caused by insects, don’t bother him a bit.
‘To me, that gives it character,? he said.
He enjoys it when he’s able to use wood whose growth has been affected by wild vines. When wild vines wrap themselves around small trees, they cause them to grow in a curled or twisted manner that can result in some very unique-looking walking sticks.
Daniels spends an average of about 6 ? hours working on each stick, from finding the perfect piece of wood to scraping the bark off and sanding it to coating it with polyurethane.
‘I have worked as many as 15 hours on one stick,? he noted.
Although he views his walking sticks as decorative pieces, Daniels said he tests every single one to ensure they’re sturdy enough to be functional as well.
He plans to keep crafting these special sticks for as long as he’s able. Every time he bestows one to a veteran, it just encourages him to make more and more.
‘They appreciate it,? Daniels said.