Ventures, March 20

By Marisa Ware, Special to the Rocky

Wednesday, March 19, 2008

BeetleBench

Mission Wear

Mission Wear

Mission Wear

Mission Wear

Mission Wear

Mission Wear

BeetleBench

* Furniture made from beetle-killed lodgepole pine

Price: benches, $78-$118; raised dog bowls, $48-$58

Where you can get it: e-mail beetlebench@comcast.net

Business owners: Alan Gould, Connie Gould and Keith Frank

Location: Lakewood

Tidbits: When Alan Gould learned of the unprecedented outbreak of pine beetles in Colorado's forests, he saw an opportunity to make something beautiful out of something tragic.

With skills he picked up while building period furniture at the Littleton Historical Museum, Gould began creating benches out of the beetle-killed lodgepole pines.

"The joinery and methods used are from a bygone era," Gould said. "You're getting a modern piece of furniture with historic value."

BeetleBench makes benches and raised dog bowls, both of which are coated with an oil-based UV protective coating for indoor or outdoor use.

All products use traditional methods of joinery, meaning there are no mechanical fasteners.

"We are trying to utilize a piece of Colorado history that people can own," Gould said. "Our vision is to create these strong and simple benches that will last for centuries and be passed down through families."

When it's possible, Gould leaves the traces of the pine beetles in his furniture. While the patterns of tracks and the characteristic blue stain left behind by the beetles don't affect the integrity of the wood, they do show that beauty can be found even in loss.

For more information: 720-684-7124

Mission Wear

* Reusable grocery bags made by recovering women

Price: $12-$14

Where you can get them: Marczyk's Fine Foods, themissionwear.org

Business owner: Beth McWhirter

Location: Denver

Tidbits: Mission Wear, a nonprofit, is the fusion of two of McWhirter's passions: helping the environment and giving women with a history of drug addiction or prostitution a second chance.

It began a few years ago when McWhirter was mentoring a woman coming straight out of prostitution who was having difficulties getting a job because of her felony charge.

"She ended up relapsing," McWhirter said. "I know there were other factors, but I think if she had had a stable job and felt like someone believed in her she would have been less likely to slip back."

When McWhirter began sewing reusable grocery bags, she realized it might be a way to help recovering women.

Working with Street's Hope, a nonprofit that helps women escape prostitution, McWhirter employs such women and provides them with job training and a caring community.

"I can't promise that I don't have women who relapse, but I think it gives them a little hope that there will be something for them when they come off the street," McWhirter said.

The sturdy, colorful bags hold up to 20 pounds of groceries and are machine-washable.

For more information: themissionwear.org or 303-808-7538