Root Cause supports orphanage

CHILLICOTHE - At a time of the year when many are busy cutting down and decorating Christmas trees, Mike Wilbanks is designing a new purpose for part of a tree he cut down this summer. The results are helping children in a world away, in East Africa.

Wilbanks said in 2009 his sister-in-law, Laura Corcoran, started the Miryante Orphanage in Uganda. The last time he visited the orphanage was 2010, when it had just a couple of small buildings and no electricity.

It since has grown to encompass multiple buildings and a technical school for the more than 100 children from in and around Uganda.

Wilbanks and his wife sponsor a child at Miryante Orphanage, but he wanted to find a way to do more.

"Half our family is sponsoring kids, but that's not enough," Wilbanks said.

Wilbanks has a full-time job as a teacher, but carving wood has become his one of his favorite pastimes. When a friend offered to pay him for carving, and Wilbanks would not accept their money, they offered a donation. That sparked the idea for Root Cause.

The project picked up steam in the summer when, as a teacher, Wilbanks had the most free time to work.

The "Root" itself came from a tree Wilbanks cut down in his own yard. He then dug up one of the tree's large roots to better clear the yard. He liked the natural pattern in the wood and decided to dry it out and use it for some carving projects.

A small statue takes between 15 and 20 hours and a large piece of wood to complete. He decided the root itself was too small to make anything that big out of, which spawned the idea to create jewelry.

"I've always been an artist I like to take things that are no longer considered useful and make them useful again," Wilbanks said.

As for the "Cause," the profits of every Root Cause product go directly to the orphanage, and his sister-in-law is able to designate how the money is used.

Totem, a locally-owned shop on Second Street, carries key chains, jewelry and small statues created by Wilbanks for Root Cause. Courtney Lewis, owner of Totem, said she started carrying the products in her store just before the Downtown Open House.

Lewis discovered Wilbanks' work at a friend's baby shower, where Wilbanks' wife gifted the expectant mother a statue and was wearing a necklace carved by her husband. When Lewis inquired about where the pieces came from, she could not turn down the opportunity to help sell the product and the cause.

"I'm excited to promote it too. ... They're giving back to something. I love that," Lewis said. "I told him we would love to have it."

It works well for Wilbanks, who said his main goal with the products is to raise awareness for the orphanage.

"I feel lucky that I have something to give back," Wilbanks said. "I feel good because it's not just giving money, I like that they might get more out of it."

He said a recent client had requested two carvings for his children. The client's daughter loved to learn about other cultures and the man was excited to give his daughter the story that comes with the piece.

"That's what I want out of it. He's going to be able to share that, and then she might share it and it just makes the world smaller," Wilbanks said.