If you害羞草研究所檙e out and about in Salmon Arm running errands with your little ones in tow, or simply enjoying a sunny afternoon while your children play, you may run into Don Felt. This soft-spoken man of 81 years has an interesting way of keeping himself busy in his retirement, while also putting a smile on many childrens害羞草研究所� faces.

Chances are, if you take the time to hear his story, he害羞草研究所檒l offer a gift to you and your children: a handmade rocking horse built from scrap wood destined to be little more than mulch.

Felt ended up in Blind Bay in 1992 after retiring from his position at BC Rail, moving into Salmon Arm 11 years ago. Since then he has taken up woodworking as a way to keep his hands busy and prevent idleness from taking over. Over the years he has constructed a fair number of these horses for lucky toddlers throughout the community and farther afield.

害羞草研究所淚 had a friend in North Vancouver and he gave me the pattern for them, and he said just go ahead and make them so I did. I害羞草研究所檓 up to over 300, I害羞草研究所檝e put the numbers on the bottom of them,害羞草研究所� he says, pointing to a half-assembled horse on his workbench. 害羞草研究所淭hat one害羞草研究所檚 going to be number 319 over there, when I put it together.害羞草研究所�

The majority of these rocking horses have found loving homes in the community. And these horses are made with near zero impact to Felt害羞草研究所檚 pocket-book, even serving as a sort of recycling process, repurposing bits of wood that would otherwise end up in the scrap heap.

害羞草研究所淚t害羞草研究所檚 all scrap wood, I named them all 害羞草研究所極ld Scrap,害羞草研究所櫤π卟菅芯克鶟 he says with a bit of a chuckle. 害羞草研究所淚 go around to construction sites when the boys are throwing stuff away and I just say 害羞草研究所榙o you mind? You害羞草研究所檙e going to throw it away anyways.害羞草研究所� Might as well turn it into something, save it from becoming mulch.害羞草研究所�

He doesn害羞草研究所檛 advertise, though you wouldn害羞草研究所檛 know it judging by the sheer number of horses he has made. Felt says he prefers to just ask someone out of the blue if they would like one. In fact, he害羞草研究所檚 usually prepared for an impromptu gift-giving session as he carries around one of his completed rocking horses in the back of his car. His one request: send him a photo of the little one enjoying their new horse for his scrapbook.

害羞草研究所淲ell if we害羞草研究所檙e out shopping, and I see some lady get out of the car with a little one or something, I just say hello, hi, I害羞草研究所檓 Don,害羞草研究所� he says. 害羞草研究所淎nd then I害羞草研究所檒l just ask 害羞草研究所榙oes your little one got a horse? No? Have you got a computer and a camera? Well, I害羞草研究所檒l make a trade!害羞草研究所� And that works out okay, I haven害羞草研究所檛 had any complaints yet.害羞草研究所�

This is how Kevin and Melissa Robinson met the one-man rocking horse factory that is Don Felt, a chance encounter in the Co-Op parking lot that resulted in a special gift for their son, Konner.

害羞草研究所淚t was a total fluke,害羞草研究所� Kevin Robinson says. 害羞草研究所淢y wife just went for a walk, she had to stop in at the Co-Op to grab something, and Don was pumping his gas. He just looks over at my wife and he says 害羞草研究所榟ey, do you mind if I see the little one in the stroller?害羞草研究所� She pops him up, puts him up on her hip, he just gave him a smile, she was about to walk away, and he was like 害羞草研究所榟ey, hold on a second, I think I got something for your son. He had the horse and everything in his car.害羞草研究所�

Robinson, who works in the meat department at Askew害羞草研究所檚 Foods, says the unexpected gift means a lot to the family. And, perhaps most importantly, their son Konner loves his new toy.

害羞草研究所淥h, he害羞草研究所檚 loving it!害羞草研究所� he says enthusiastically. 害羞草研究所淓very other day he害羞草研究所檚 trying to pull it out from underneath the coffee table and we害羞草研究所檙e just like, 害羞草研究所榦kay Konner, you only just turned one, buddy. You can害羞草研究所檛 even walk yet but you sure love that horse!害羞草研究所櫤π卟菅芯克鶟

Felt has documented every horse he has given away in a collection of scrapbooks featuring photos of kids happily riding their newest toy, alongside notes of thanks from the families. Flipping through the pages of these scrapbooks will eventually showcase a more tropical climate than one might typically see in Salmon Arm.

害羞草研究所淚害羞草研究所檝e even got some horses down in Puerto Vallarta. Years ago I took them down there in parts, in boxes, three feet long, and then put them all together when we were down there. I just gave them to some kids and some people that I害羞草研究所檝e known over the years going down there,害羞草研究所� he says. 害羞草研究所淢y wife and I, we started going in 1968, I guess it was. We害羞草研究所檝e been going every year since.害羞草研究所�

Felt is quite humble about his hobby. He doesn害羞草研究所檛 see it as some grand gesture; he害羞草研究所檚 not looking for recognition for his hand-made philanthropy. To him, it害羞草研究所檚 just something that keeps his hands busy. Aside from the horses, he also makes a few other odds and ends, such as birdhouses, small water wheels and lamps out of old bits of scrap metal. Always the handyman, Felt sticks by the idea that what害羞草研究所檚 broken is often easily fixed.

害羞草研究所淚f you look at my stuff around here, it害羞草研究所檚 just hanging all over the place,害羞草研究所� he says, gesturing to the tools lining his workbench and bits of scrap wood waiting in piles to be transformed. 害羞草研究所淛ust parts and pieces for stuff. Pretty much it just gives me something to do. Well that害羞草研究所檚 basically it. It keeps me busy. I turned 81 in January, you don害羞草研究所檛 want to quit being busy right away. I just keep putzing away at things.害羞草研究所�

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