We've been self employed forever, and have always discussed wanting to start our own charity, but not something that simply gives away stuff, a place that actually teaches a skill. You know, give a man a fish, you feed him for a day, teach hime how to fish, you feed him for a lifetime. It's been that philosophy, coupled with the awareness that, these days, it is rare to find anyone  that knows how to do anything skilled for themselves. That gave rise to the concept of the Industrial Arts Movement (IAM). My husband grew up on a farm, and I grew up less than privledged, so learning how to make and do things was mandatory. Using your hands to create, there is something magical about that. It can be something as simple as a loaf of bread, but learning how to do something gives us such a sense of fulfillment. We feel this is a lost art, and want to restore those traditions to new generations. It is our dream that the IAM will be a place for kids to learn the skills that generations before us had, woodworking, metalsmithing, etc. We also want to spotlight those folks that are still practicing those long lost traditions. Wouldn't it be great to have a place where retired folks are learning how to blog from the kids they are teaching how to use woodworking tools. There is so much potential there to change the world. We just need to get philosophy bags up and running first. Bye for now-Joan