02/04/2020
Thank you Williamson for the fine write up!
Recently, Dan Armes 0W9, a member of the Florida National Guard, was deployed to Afghanistan. At the end of his service, his base commander sent Williamson a flag that flew over his compound as a thank you gift. Out of gratitude for Dan’s service, Wayne McWilliams 8W5, a carpenter, made a flag box for the flag with an amazing amount of detail, all in wood, and donated it to Williamson. The box has a Williamson and National Guard logo, several stars, and on the back it has the words, “This Flag is presented to: Williamson College of the Trades by 1st Lieutenant Daniel Armes 0W9.” He also made an elaborate frame for the certificate with a Williamson logo.
Wayne, a self-employed carpenter who works with his brother Russ 8W2 out of Levittown, Pa., has been making flag boxes for two years. His design is unique and he is he only person in the United States who makes them. He got the idea for the boxes after working at the home of a widow whose husband had been a vet. His flag was laying on the floor in a way Wayne thought was very disrespectful and he decided all flags of veterans deserved a better way to be displayed. He hopes to increase the number of boxes he makes and in the future when he retires, will devote more of his time to making them.
It takes about three weeks to make one and requires much patience he says. But, he works hard to complete each one because he feels pasionate about them and appreciates the service of vets. Many of his customers are widows wishing to pay respect to their husbands who were veterans. He makes them out of walnut, cherry, and maple and can include the logos of all branches of the military and the Freemasons.
Committed to Williamson, Wayne also makes the awards for the Alumni Association’s Academic Achievement Awards dinner and has recently worked on the renovation of Stell Dorm.
Wayne donated this box to Williamson, but for others the cost is $375 per box. Anyone interested in more information, can contact Wayne at 215-943-6161 or [email protected].