Rather, they can be found every Wednesday and Thursday at the Ballarat Woodworkers Guild. Wood you have guessed it (pardon the pun)? 

Inside the light green rooms of Hut 11 at the Ballarat Airport, you can find all sorts of jovial individuals, all who are dedicated to bettering the community.

Toy co-ordinator Lance Jewell, commonly known as "Toy Boy" has been with the guild for nearly 10 years. 

  "It's always been Toy Boy really ... they're trying to get away from that, but I don't mind," he blushes.Mr Jewell has previously worked as a truck/forklift driver, a tradesman and also owned a wood and soil yard business. 

  "I was a sort of jack of all trades, yet master of none," laughs the retired 67-year-old. 

The North Ballarat resident has always had an interest in wood, yet only embraced the passion later in life.Nearly 10 years ago he attended the guild's Wood & Craft Show, where he became quite fond of a certain bench saw

."I actually had a shed built at home," Mr Jewell said. "But that was to practice ballroom dancing in." 

On Tuesday nights Mr Jewell runs the ballroom dancing events at Ballarat Senior Citizens Club and fancies himself as a good master of ceremonies. "People look at me and say, 'where's ya Harley Bike?''' says the moustached dancer. 

While he humbly states his craftsmanship skills aren't as developed as others, his quirky ideas and designs surely prove his abilities.He says there are many specialists within the guild, all who often share their many talents within the craft community."Around here the boys show you what to do," says the once novice. 

 "Once you start, you start using your brain differently."Yet guild president Dave Izard quickly interjects: 

"He's learnt nothing - 67 years and he's learnt nothing."Now Mr Jewell also manages the wood and toy departments, and says the club community is an important part of the members' lives.

According to Mr Jewell, some members join in search of conversation, whereas others wish to use the extra time gained post-retirement.

  Although many come to the club to pursue their own craft interests, Mr Jewell ensures they all "chip in" when there is work to be done. 

Health and home issues rarely deter members from attending weekly guild gatherings, offering a side of friendly banter over regular tea and coffee breaks.

"I think it does give people a purpose, they've got somewhere to come and share their knowledge with somebody," Mr Jewell said. 

With members ranging between the ages of 30 and 80, Mr Jewell said the predominately older group had formed great friendships.

  "People have got so much knowledge, but they don't seem to be able to pass it on anywhere," Mr Jewell said. "The boys just like doing things, it's a good club." Guild specialists have formed sub groups where they focus on mastering furnishings, scrollwork patterns, whistles, pens or any particular skill.

All are welcome to participate in the group learning and sharing environment. November 18 marked more than 20 years for the guild's charity toy drive, presenting more than 400 wooden Christmas toys to charities for disadvantaged children.

The toy crafting program is a major component of the guild's structure, a physical task that Mr Jewell describes as rather joyful.

"To see a kid's face smiling when they get a toy is great, and I think that's what the boys make them for."

Various woodworkers spend all year crafting miniature semi-trailers, cars, washing lines, puzzles and hobby horses for the cause.

"The boys come up with the ideas themselves," Mr Jewell said. "This year I've made some little ironing boards, with a little iron too." 

  Books and group discussions are what inspire the craftsmen, not forgetting the odd idea that enters their minds.

Mr Jewell recently made a hat rack out of golf sticks and a large wooden reindeer, an odd idea that he often gets comments on.

  "I don't know, (ideas) just come out of my head," he chuckles. The crafting process takes many hours due to the guild's adherence to precision and quality, yet the initial struggle involves fi nding the perfect wood.

Donations and scraps are what the non-profi t organisation depends on, resulting a thorough timber screening process.

The already four-hour long crafting process is extended as the woodworkers must check thickness, clean the timber and then size the donations accordingly.

"If the timber is no good we won't take it, we gotta get decent stuff to make toys," Mr Jewell said. Even the quality of the paint is important, as Mr Jewell stresses only non-harmful, water-based paints are used.

Unfortunately, the perfect wood is rarely sought through donations, prompting members to purchase timber with personal funds.

Mr Jewell never asks how much members spend purchasing timber, but comments "It is a lot of moneyout of their own pockets". 

Due to the pressures of time, Mr Jewell says the average person makes 60 toys per year and the most productive can produce more than 100. "Most of the stuff is done at home ... the blokes do it in their sheds.

"It is not compulsory to design toys, yet a large amount of members participate by creating colourful and inventive wooden designs.Another 3200 toys are made yearly for the Ballarat Begonia Festival, a separate initiative to the annual toy drive.

"I think wooden toys are coming back," Mr Jewell said.He believes the wooden toys produced by the club are aesthetically attractive, safer and higher quality than plastic. 

He comments: "I'm not knocking plastic but wooden stuff looks great.

"Discussions with kindergarten teachers he says confi rm this shift in public preference.

 "One said they would sooner have wooden toys in the kindergarten than the plastic stuff," Mr Jewell said. 

"It's beautiful stuff." It is this passion and enjoyment that drives these toy volunteers, most who appear too humble and shy for praise. A

t last year's toy handover, Mr Jewell described the apprehension of volunteers when asked to present themselves to the crowd.

"I think everybody feels proud at the hand over ... but the boys don't like doing that, they make the toys because they like making the toys," he says. 

He speaks for the group when he says thanks is not warranted, as the creative and selfl ess experience is reward enough.