Veterans host exhibit of hand-crafted woodwork by foster kids at Falcon Children’s Home

[Fayetteville, North Carolina] – The Falcon Children's Home & Family Services is a hidden gem tucked away in the town of Falcon, North Carolina, that provides year-round housing for foster children who require a safe space and positive atmosphere to aid them in their difficult journey of recovering from abuse, neglect, or maltreatment. Providing a creative space for them to design and build hand-crafted works of art with wood, a team of military veterans skilled in woodworking partnered with the Arts Council of Fayetteville|Cumberland County to host the “Falcon Children’s Home Woodshop Exhibition” that will be on display May 4 - 20, 2023 at The Arts Center, 301 Hay Street in Downtown Fayetteville. The exhibition is free and open to public viewing.

Editorial by Christy McNeil, Arts Council of Fayetteville

The exhibition features the woodworking talents and techniques of five exceptional young ladies from Falcon Children's Home, aged between 14 and 18. Their works include impressive stained-glass art along with a diverse range of woodcrafts such as jewelry boxes, cutting boards, wall art, benches, tables, and more.

You have the opportunity to purchase these amazing artworks that directly support the young artists who created them. All proceeds go directly to these talented individuals.

John DeGreef, a military veteran and Head Instructor, established the woodshop program in 2015 to instill lifelong skills and build confidence through woodworking. Thanks to the Youth Growth Stock Trust and other kind donations, DeGreef was able to acquire cutting-edge equipment and tools essential for running a fully operational woodshop.

Carl Sanders, a woodturning instructor, and Derek Feely, a CNC instructor, later joined DeGreef's experienced woodworking team. They understand the importance of the woodshop as a therapeutic outlet for foster children to manage and release their anger and pain by redirecting their focus toward a creative and rewarding skill.

The exhibition has received support from the Arts Council of Fayetteville|Cumberland County, the Youth Growth Stock Trust, and the N.C. Arts Council.

For further information on Falcon Children's Home & Family Services, please visit www.falconchildrenshome.org/.

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MEDIA DAY: OPENING RECEPTION

The Opening Reception for the "Falcon Children's Home Woodshop Exhibition" extends a warm invitation to members of the media and the public. The event will be held on Thursday, May 4, 2023, from 4pm to 9pm at The Arts Center.

The young artists and veteran team members will be present for interviews in the gallery. To request an interview, contact John DeGreef at JDegreef@nc.rr.com.

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About the Arts Council of Fayetteville | Cumberland County

The Arts Council of Fayetteville|Cumberland County is a tax-exempt 501(c)(3) organization based in Fayetteville, NC that supports individual creativity, cultural preservation, economic development, and lifelong learning through the ARTS. As a primary steward of public and private funding for arts, cultural, and historical activities in the Cape Fear Region, all

affiliated programs of the Arts Council exemplify our 5 core values: Excellence, Accountability, Transparency, Collaboration, and Innovation. theartscouncil.com

In the year 2021-22, the Arts Council distributed almost $1 million in grant funds and allocations to Cumberland County arts and culture non-profit organizations, artists, and municipalities.

Grants, programs, and services of the Arts Council are funded in part by contributions from community partners, and through grants from the City of Fayetteville, Cumberland County, and the N.C. Arts Council, a division of the Department of Natural & Cultural Resources. ncarts.org