Bill and Curt's Hobbies is about giving back

Residents who frequently stop at local stores like Yoke's Fresh Market and Denny's Harvest Foods may notice some bird houses on the shelves for sale. What they may not know is these items are created by a couple of local veterans.

Bill Bresnahan and Curt Boehm, of Bill and Curt's Hobbies, are retired veterans who specialize in woodworking and making crafts and sell them, along with Kirby Killman, who does the research and paperwork for the duo. They, along with Boehm's stepson, also make rustic museum rocking chairs, vintage scooters, Adirondack furniture, hand-carved walking sticks and marble address signs.

The veterans use the proceeds from these sales and donate them to a local charity. They have given proceeds to the Wounded Warriors Project for the last three years. They've also given away 10 percent of their work.

"We wanted to give back to the community and picked Wounded Warriors as our cause because we are veterans," Boehm said.

In 2015, Boehm and Bresnahan donated 51 percent of the net profits, $3,200, to the Wounded Warrior Project. Bresnahan, along with Yoke's managers Rick Duclos and Philip Prenaeau, were honored by the city of Airway Heights.

"The Yoke's manager (Duclos) took a chance on us and he loved our story," Bresnahan said. "His boss, Phillips Prenaeau, told him 'OK, but it's on you.'"

Boehm first met Bresnahan two years ago after he went to West Plains Building Supply to pick up some lumber.

"I was given Bill's business card and he said 'let's meet,'" Boehm said. "We kind of hit it off from there."

Between the two of them, Boehm and Bresnahan have made about 100 different birdhouses. They'll customize their work to fit the consumer and their hobbies. They have made golf-themed houses, a fishing lodge and a lighthouse.

"We haven't had a complaint in the three years that I know of," Bresnahan said. "That's saying something. We've sold about 900 birdhouses."

"I know, I'm building a lot of them," Boehm added. "I build about an average of three birdhouses a day."

As to why he makes birdhouses, Boehm said his father used to build them in his spare time.

"He and his brother would build them but they never sold them," Boehm said. "They gave them away. For me, it's something I like to do."

As for Bresnahan, he took up crafts as a way to keep himself busy. After he ordered the houses from China, and other countries, he noticed how small and thin they were and figured he could make better ones and sell them.

"I had such a fulfillment in what I was doing, I went into making furniture, hope chests and rocking chairs," Bresnahan said.

In addition to his venture with Boehm and Killman, Bresnahan has been an inventor for 36 years and has 20 inventions under his belt. He also has a 20-step program where he helps aspiring inventors to bring their ideas to life, which includes helping them research and file patents for their designs. Bresnahan hosts a radio show on 630 AM and 96.5 FM at 9 a.m. and 9 p.m.

"I want to encourage anyone, if they have an idea, I will help them for free," Bresnahan said.

Boehm and Bresnahan are approaching their third season of working together. Bresnahan said he hopes to sell his and Boehm's crafts on his radio show.

"We've also offered to teach birdhouse making classes at the high school," Bresnahan said.

Bresnahan added that he and Boehm might start contributing their proceeds to another local charity.

More Info:

To contact Bill Bresnahan call (610) 563-0785 or email billbresnahansr@gmail.com.

To contact Curt Boehm, call (509) 456-3721.

Al Stover can be reached at al@cheneyfreepress.com.