The Sears Trostel Bread ’N’ Boards annual fundraiser for the Food Bank for Larimer County has become a community staple that we are very proud to be a part of. And it is with sadness that we announce that the event will not be held this December.

For 13 years, Sears Trostel employees have made cutting boards throughout the year to sell at the Bread 'N' Boards event. With a sell-out most years, the boards created to meet the needs of the event have grown to 1000+ boards. That’s a lot of boards!
 
“It is a time- and manpower-intensive process, and it has been nearly impossible to divert staff to the project this year," says Curt Viehmeyer, General Manager and co-owner of Sears Trostel. "The increased pace of business has made it necessary to have all hands on deck to serve our valued customers.
 
“With less personnel time to devote to creating boards, plus an overall saturation in the marketplace, the difficult decision was made to bring the event to a close.”
 
We’re excited to say Bread 'N' Boards has raised just under $330,000 for the Food Bank since its inception. Now the staff is discussing alternative ways we can be of service to the Food Bank and the community.

We say THANK YOU to Great Harvest Bread of Fort Collins and New Belgium Brewery for their steadfast sponsorship support, and to all the volunteers, local artisans and businesses that gave of their time and resources to make Bread ‘N’ Boards such a success.

 

THANKS to all the woodworking artists that participated in the Sears Trostel 16th Annual Woodworking Show, Sale & Competition last week, February 21-23! We love seeing the talent and creativity in our community, and providing a venue to bring it all together.

We also thank this year's judges who took-on the difficult task of picking the winners from many beautiful and technically-challenging entries — Dave Moore from the Fort Collins Creator Hub; Jim Lasher, avid woodworker and creator of many intricate Signature Boards for the annual Bread 'N' Boards event; and Kaycee Lott, event director for Maker Bolder's Rocky Mountain STEAM Fest.

While all the entries are truly winners, these are the entries awarded prizes:

1st Place — Spencer Young, Titan Woodworking, "Walnut Credenza" in Walnut and Maple


















2nd Place — Nate Roth, "Bow-front Entry Table with Hidden Drawer" in Cherry, Maple and Birdseye Maple Veneer


























3rd Place — Brian Carroll, "Cruzin" sculpture in Juniper, Mesquite and Redwood


















4th Place — William Pawuk, "Morris Chair for Two" in Cherry






















5th Place — John Dumler, "Ukulele" in Koa and Walnut


































6th Place — Andy Weiss, Genuine Woodworking, "Recycled Skateboard Bowl" turning made with skateboard decks
























Creative Use of EcoPoxy — Tyson Luttenbacher, "Dining Table" in Myrtle wood and EcoPoxy























Peoples Choice Award — Eric Winne, High Country Fine Furniture, "Bonsai Garden" hanging shelf in Walnut and Soft Maple  



























If you weren’t able to make it to the show, check out all the entries at
>>  the 16th Annual Woodworking Show Gallery

 

Working twenty years in one place is a feat in today’s business world. Which makes celebrating Jon Davis’s 20 years at Sears Trostel all that more satisfying.

Jon arrived all those years ago at our Airpark Ave. wholesale and manufacturing division, without any experience in the lumber or wood products manufacturing industry, and started out as a Moulder Operator. He ran the machinery that produces the high-quality custom hardwood trim and millwork that Sears Trostel is known for. Jon enjoyed his work as an operator for three years, and even now likes to help our current moulder operators “when they let him.”

“But I was fascinated by the tooling,” says Jon. The specially-made knives that are placed in the moulding equipment to cut wood to precise specifications and shapes. Eventually he found his way to working in the  tooling room where the knives are ground.

“I just love making things with my hands,” Jon says about tooling. “It’s a challenge, it’s very exacting, it’s a wonderful skill…it’s an art really.” He spent 13 years in the tooling room helping to create the 12,000+ sets of the knives that are available to mould our products.

Now Jon spends less time working with his hands on the production floor, and has taken on an important administrative role to ensure manufacturing quality. As the liason between production and sales, he schedules all the work orders, makes sure the correct materials are on hand, and ensures that all the details of a project are complete before it goes to the production floor to be produced.

“It’s always been enjoyable for me,” he says, reflecting on his 20 years of working at Sears Trostel. “I love my job. I love coming to work. I love what we do and who I do it with.”

When discussing his future at Sears Trostel, Jon says with a laugh, “Maybe one day they’ll wheel me out of here at 80 and tell me to go stay home.”

We thank you, Jon, and truly appreciate your good humor, hard work and dedication over the years. We hope you’re here for another 20!

During the Sears Trostel 16th Annual Woodworking Show, Sale and Competition we’re giving our fellow woodworkers a chance to show-off their creative talents.

Local artisans exhibit recent woodworking projects, compete for prizes, and have an opportunity to sell their pieces. And this year, craftspeople working with EcoPoxy Resins are also encouraged to enter.

Stop by the show to see a beautiful variety of original works — and maybe even take something home, too.

Each year we are awed by the furniture, turnings, carvings, novelty items, boxes, sculpture, and works with marquetry and intarsia that are entered into the show.

>> Check out last year's show entries

Show Hours:

• Thursday, February 21 — 9:00 am - 5:30 pm
• Friday, February 22 — 7:30 am - 5:30 pm
• Saturday, February 23 — 8:30 am - 3:00 pm

Show Address:
ENTER YOUR PROJECT IN THE SHOW

Whether you consider yourself a novice or a seasoned professional, this is a chance to share your talents.  Whatever the creative spirit inspires you to craft with wood — or EcoPoxy — we want to see it!

Prizes for Best of Show and 2nd through 6th place are awarded:

• Best of Show — $100 Sears Trostel gift card
• 2nd Place — $50 Sears Trostel gift card
• 3rd, 4th, 5th, 6th Places — $25 Sears Trostel gift card

PLUS there are two new award categories this year:

• People’s Choice — $25 Sears Trostel Gift Card
• Creative Use of EcoPoxy* — $75 Sears Trostel Gift Card

EcoPoxy Resins are non-toxic, low odor and incredibly durable resins that are safe and easy to use. They offer endless creative possibilities to woodworkers, artists, jewelry makers and contractors. LEARN MORE

* EcoPoxy project entries are not required to include wood.

Registrations are due by 3:00 pm on Wednesday, February 20. Entered pieces must be at our Riverside location by no later than 9 a.m. on February 21.

>> Download the Registration Form here

Email your registration form to Liz Carter at lcarter@sears-trostel.com, or drop it off at our Riverside location.

OR complete the ONLINE Registration Form BELOW.

See you at the show!

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THANK YOU to everyone who participated in the 13th Annual Bread 'N' Boards event on December 1st!

It is another great year of helping the hungry in our community. With a few boards still available to purchase at the Food Bank for Larimer County, the nearly-final tally for money raised is $33,723. And most of that money was raised in just three hours! 100 percent of the net proceeds will benefit the Food Bank and will provide over 145,000 meals. Since 2005, Bread 'N' Boards has raised $329,358 for the Food Bank.

Thanks to the folks at Great Western Bank who did their part to ensure a successful outcome of the event. They came with carts and left with MANY beautiful boards!

A big THANK YOU to our steadfast sponsors! Fort Collins Great Harvest Bread Co. contributed the yummy bread samples and the certificates for free bread that went home with every board. New Belgium Brewery created and donated the fun tea towels available for purchase at the event.

Many thanks to everyone who donated one or more of the 74 Signature Boards and specialty items for the Signature Board Silent Auction. Your caring and craftsmanship are invaluable gifts that help make Bread ’N’ Boards the great success it is each year.

A shoutout and special thanks to the team at Baldwin Woodworking. Their contribution of 16 Signature Boards brought in $1,040, and one of the boards was the highest-bid board at $250.

THANK YOU to the local supporter businesses that contributed items for the silent auction:
 

•     The Cupboard
•     Deli Works
•     Downtown ACE Hardware
•     The Fox & The Crow
•     Spoons, Soups & Salads

A big part of the fun at Bread ’N’ Boards is the music. We thank our musical guests, and Lauren Alman for working with them to provide great entertainment!

• The States Duo — Janie and Martin Bates
• Shane Miller
• Don Diemer
• Bob Jefferies with Tim Black

See photos from Bread 'N' Boards 2018


Thank you to the businesses that supplied essential items for the event:

• John Boos & Co. for providing its Mystery Oil finishing oil that went home with each board
• Foothills Unitarian Church for providing the tables to hold the boards
• Best Rental for providing the coffee urns  
• Downtown Ace Hardware and State Farm's Sharon Younie for donating bags for purchases
• Color Pro Printing for donating the printing of Bread ’N’ Boards flyers  
• Noosa Yoghurt for feeding our hungry volunteers

Many thanks to all the VOLUNTEERS that helped the event come together — from those who sanded boards during sanding sessions, to those that helped at the event. And a big THANK YOU to the Food Bank for Larimer County for all the GOOD it does in our community.

We hope to see you all at Bread ’N’ Boards 2019!