Lean on Me

Making canes from a surprising source helps this veteran stand tall

by JAMIE WILLIS, Copperas Cove, Texas

BUT I’VE NEVER even whittled,” I typed back in a Facebook message to Oscar Morris, a Navy man in Florida who made cool hand-carved wooden canes, which he offered free to fellow vets. An old Army injury was getting the better of me, and walking around with the standard issue aluminum cane did nothing for my self-esteem. Oscar’s waiting list for canes in the winter of 2016 was so long, he’d encouraged me to carve my own. Easy for Oscar to say—he restored furniture for a living! The Army and Navy have a strong rivalry, but as veterans we’re all family. Oscar volunteered to walk me through the process. “Believe in yourself,” he said. “You can do it.” I wasn’t so sure. Pain from my injury had forced me to retire from…

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The Joys Of Christmas (Digital) - 1 Issue, 2020

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