Miami Proud: South Florida Volunteers Make Handmade Toys For Charity

FORT LAUDERDALE (CBSMiami) - Members of the South Florida Woodworking Guild are busy carving and sanding, making toys for the holidays.

It's southwestern Broward County with a North Pole kind of feeling.

Stuart Muncer is the vice president of the guild.

"We do this every year, we build as many as 100—200 toys. Blanche is busy sanding a car, this little car that gets cut on a band saw, then we drill the holes for the wheels," he said.

Blanche Costa is a novice in the group making these handcrafted, solid wood gifts with great care. They are earmarked for a special group of kids, but we don't want to ruin the surprise.

These little wooden ducks and crayon boxes were made at another meeting. The crafters enjoy the camaraderie of the work.

"It's a great thing and it's a great group of guys. I started making toys for a niece and some other kids, and they appreciate it because it's homemade, you took the time to do it," says Costa.

After they are sanded they get painted and the wheels get put on and decals to create the finished product.

Marvin Veeser started bringing his grandson Dylan, who at the age of 10 has been woodworking for a few years already.

"He pays perfect attention," Veeser beams, "he's been on the scroll saw, he's done some nice things on that."

The club has been around more than three decades, they take pride in their craft and in giving back to the community.

"Our club's goal is to volunteer and today we are going to volunteer," says Veeser.

The toys will be donated to a charity in Broward County that the guild has partnered with.

For more information you can visit their website at sfwg.org.