Sunday, January 27, 2019

Field Trip 1-30-2019 to Renatus Woodworks - Sturgis, SD


There will be a SHOP TOUR of Renatus Woodworks at 1848 Main St. in Sturgis on Wednesday Jan 30th, 2019 at 10 am.

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About 20 members of the RCWA braved sub-zero cold temperatures and traveled to Sturgis to tour a woodworking business called RENATUS WOODWORKS on Wednesday January 30, 2019.


According to their website, this is what they do:

"We build new custom furniture and decor out of old wood.  We recycle pallets, barn wood, construction materials and any other less than new wood or products we can find.  This not only makes good use of materials that would otherwise end up in landfills but also makes for one of a kind pieces that have stories all their own. You will find several pictures of inventory we have already created/re-created on this site, but these are only the beginning.  If you can dream it, we want to make it for you!"


Attendees (21):  Bob and Kathie Buchanan, Jerry and Patsy Hood, Ken and Ann Froelich, Rollie Lynde, Julian Wigen, Jerry Norsen, Al Oines, Lon Gose, John Wolf, Grant Coffin, Ralph and Bert Brethauer, Harley Schmadeke, Richard Rasmussen, Keith Hoffman, Jim Burk, and Ethan Burk.

Jamie, the owner, introduced us to his business, giving us a little history of how he got started in the business.  He then led us on a tour of their show room, and then a tour of the wood shop where the  products get built.  Then we were treated to coffee and homemade cookies.  

The tour stimulated creative thinking just imaging what could be done with all those recyclable items like you run across everyday!
We build new custom furniture and decor out of old wood.  We recycle pallets, barn
















One of the projects Renautus has done recently is the removal of the barns and other buildings that housed the animals for the Black Hills Passion Play in Spearfish SD.  Here is a piece from the bleachers that is stamped LUENEN PASSION PLAY.


The Black Hills Passion Play
"In 1932, Josef Meier, a native of Luenen, Germany, brought a small company of actors to the United States to tour with a passion play. It was performed in German, destined for a limited engagement in German theaters, churches, and German-speaking communities. Political and economic conditions in Germany were already deteriorating during this time, and Meier determined to remain in America, to found a permanent home for the play. He translated the play into English, hiring American actors to replace the German-speaking cast. As he booked tours across the United States, Meier continued to seek a suitable permanent outdoor location for his production, mentioning his quest to the public in interviews across the nation. En route to the West Coast, Meier presented the Passion Play in Sioux Falls, the only town of size within South Dakota at that time. A group of businessmen from the Black Hills attended and asked Meier to examine possible sites in their area. He chose a spectacular natural location in Spearfish, and in 1939, an amphitheater was constructed and became the home of the renamed Black Hills Passion Play of America."




A debriefing was held at the local Mc Donalds after the tour.  The debriefing lasted somewhat longer than the tour.

See more pictures on their Facebook page.
https://www.facebook.com/renatuswoodworks/ 


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For more information about the Rapid City Woodworkers, click here:   RCWA