Welcome To Hands On Deck!
Hands On Deck is a 501(c)3 youth mentoring and education non-profit organization formed in 2016 that uses woodworking, wooden boat building, and boating to promote creativity, community, and craftsmanship. Building challenging projects in community forges strong relationships, and given the right tools, materials, and training, people can do amazing things at almost any age. We serve over fifty students a week aged five years and up, utilizing a part-time staff of seven and a dozen volunteers. Our organization has built and restored two-hundred and eighty-five feet of watercraft and has provided thirteen hundred and fifty individuals free boat rides on the Bay of Green Bay and the Fox River. We govern with eight board members and operate on a one-hundred-and-fifty-thousand-dollar annual budget.
Our Core Values
• To instill a taste for and an appreciation of work in general.
•To create a respect for hard, honest, physical labour.
• To develop independence and self-reliance.
• To provide training in the habits of order, accuracy, cleanliness and neatness.
• To train the eye to see accurately and to appreciate the sense of beauty in form.
• To develop the sense of touch and to give general dexterity to the hands
• To acquire dexterity in the use of tools.
• To execute precise work and to produce useful products.
Group Activities and Projects
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![scout group with lidded boxes]()
Lidded Box
We build a variety of lidded boxes with different joinery techniques to fit the size and skill level of the individual group.
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![toy boats with scouts]()
STEM Toys
We build a variety of STEM based toys that include motion for a more robust experience.
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![pine tool totes]()
Tool Totes
We build tool totes with all ages and skill levels. Our EMS tool totes are simple and fun, and our advanced joinery students will appreciate cutting their own dovetails for a more challenging project.
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![brush making]()
Brushes
Brush making not only teaches woodworking skills, but also fine motor skills while bundling and gluing in the bristles. This a popular classes at HOD.
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![white birch shrink pots]()
Shrink Pots
Wood moves. We take advantage of organic mechanics to build and make in traditional woodworking.
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![charcuterie boards]()
Charcuterie Boards
This is a great Sunday afternoon experience to be enjoyed with friends.
Estuary Connection Opportunities
This program allows us to provide boat rides to hundreds of referred youth, their mentors and families, and community servants at no costs along with model boat building for those who are a little too young for boat construction.
We have a vibrant sailing and boat maintenance program aboard our Hunter 31, and our community rowing program rows weekly with monthly regattas occurring all over the Great Lakes.
Funding and Revenue
We are funded through class registrations, apprenticeship projects, foundation grants, private donations, and fundraisers. As of 2023 we generate over 50% of our revenue internally. This is an important step towards our sustainability and future growth.
Your gifts will most like sponsor a child or a group that cannot cover the full cost of their own class registration. No matter where the dollars come from, they are put towards building more capacity towards serving our community.
Our Green Bay Home
South Bay is home to our 30x40 boat shop and 20x30 classroom along with Smokey’s Bait and Takle, Skipper Choice Marine Chandlery, South Boat Boat Showroom, and Paradise North Distillery. We occupy two slips at South Bay Marina, one slip at Hi Seas Marina in Oconto, and are looking to keep a boat in Sturgeon Bay long term.
We work in close partnership with local organizations like North Coast Marine Manufacturing Alliance, Green Bay Sail and Paddle, The Einstein Project, The UWGB Viking House, NEW Girl Scouts, Scouts BSA, Barkhausen Waterfowl Preserve, and the Green Bay Conservation Partners. The Door County Maritime Museum, the Wisconsin Maritime Museum, and the Great Lakes Boat Building School have expressed interests in partnering as we grow.
HOD Board Of Directors
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Nate Millsap
PRESIDENT
Nate is U.S. Navy, retired, and Director of Security & Cyber, Fincantieri Marinette Marine. Nate has recently been appointed by Governor Evers as a member of the Blue Ribbon Commission on Veteran Opportunity for the state of Wisconsin. Nate is on the board at the North East Wisconsin Marine Manufacturing Alliance, and helped bring SEAPERCH to the local schools in North East Wisconsin.
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![Mark Hawkins]()
Mark Hawkins
VICE PRESIDENT
Mark is a full time still photographer here in Green Bay, along with working part time for the Einstein Project directing their mobile makerspace. Mark is on the board at the North East Wisconsin Marine Manufacturing Alliance, and works with multiple water conservation efforts here in Green Bay.
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![hands on deck treasurer]()
Adam Lembcke
TREASURER
Adam is a CPA in a management position at Clifton Larson Allen Accounting .
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![hands on deck treasurer]()
Renee Stein
SECRETARY
Renee is an Apple Award winning math teacher at Ashwaubenon High School.
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![Heather Cox]()
Heather Cox
Heather wears many hats for NWTC , but her official title is pathways to academic success instructor. She holds a masters of communication from Clemson university.
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![pat cavanaugh]()
Pat Cavanaugh, Ph. D.
Pat Cavanaugh is the Events Sales and Service Manager for the Green Bay Packers. Pat was in education for nearly 15 years in Detroit as a principal and teacher and has a Ph.D. in Educational Leadership.
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![mark norfleet phd]()
Mark Norfleet, Ph. D.
Assistant Professor of Mathematics - UWGB
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![dr jim spitzer]()
Dr. Jim Spitzer
Jim is a retired dentist. Jim is an active member of the Breakfast Optimist Club here in Green Bay which has donated over $3500 to HOD.
