Yelm resident Steven McCullough didn’t dive into the woodworking industry for the money. He wants to provide relief, not only to himself, but to fellow veterans who battle post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD).
With the money that he does earn from building custom furniture and other wood art pieces, he hopes to build a new shop to teach woodworking classes to multiple students at a time. Currently, he operates out of half of his garage and can only fit a student or two on the weekends while he works as a crusher operator in Tenino during the week.
McCullough learned the tools of the trade from his grandfather in the early 1970s while growing up in Maine. He realized that his woodworking skills could help others a few years ago when someone from American Legion Post 164 asked him to build a bench for the front of the building.
“He brought a log down, and I sawed out a bench. It helped me relax a lot more than I thought I needed,” said McCullough, who served in the U.S. Army for more than 15 years, including seven years in the reserves in Maine.
From the relaxation he felt when working on the bench, he envisioned giving veterans a similar escape from their stresses. He began making pieces of furniture for veterans and started showing other veterans how to make pieces themselves. He also takes inquiries from other non-veterans in the area and has worked with Boy Scouts and Cub Scouts to help them build tables.
“One person came over, and she never held a hammer in her life. She built stairs with wooden pegs in them, and she loves them,” McCullough said. “She built it. She learned it. I’ll show them how to use the tool. I’ll make sure they don’t get hurt on it, but I’ll let them do it so that way, they learn that it’s not a chore. It’s more relaxation.”
He doesn’t mind if someone wants to just come in to smell the sawdust or to “burn up a piece of wood,” as long as it helps them relax.
“They can do whatever the heck they want, but as long as they’re doing it safely,” McCullough said. “I’m not trying to make a lot of money off of it. I’m trying to make people happy and understand that veterans are here to help, not hurt people.”
McCullough said helping veterans calm down gives him relief, especially when they have more extreme symptoms of PTSD. He hopes to provide a judgment-free zone for people to either learn or work on their own because he understands what they endure.
“I’m not gonna judge people for having a bad day. We’ll deal with it. If you want to talk, we’ll talk. If you want to just make sawdust, then we’ll make sawdust,” he said. “It doesn’t bother me as long as it helps them.”
Since moving to Yelm in the last decade, McCullough has learned to appreciate how tight knit the military community is, particularly with American Legion Post 164.
“The military community here is more present, and the veterans are more present over here in my eyes than they were in Maine,” he said. “It’s really great when I see any organization helping a veteran or a service member. I don’t care if you’re on active duty or your husband or wife is on active duty. You’re part of the military family.”
As for his goal of building a bigger shop, McCullough said his friend will allow him to use land in Rainier to build a new shop. He said he is working toward enough money to put a 40-foot-by-40-foot slab down and purchase a building in the area.
For those interested in requesting a piece of furniture, taking classes or for more information, message Steven McCullough on Facebook at https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=61554812617415.
