The Ocean Pines Pine’eer Craft Club has named treasurer and longtime member Jane Wolnik the May crafter of the month.
Jane Wolnik, the Ocean Pines Pine’eer Craft Club’s Crafter of the Month for May, poses with some of her quilted pieces.
Submitted photo
By Tara Fischer, Staff Writer
The Ocean Pines Pine’eer Craft Club, a group dedicated to creating handmade goods since 1974, has named treasurer and longtime member Jane Wolnik the May crafter of the month.
The artisan, initially a Quilters by the Sea member, joined the group in 2011 and stepped into the role of treasurer in 2013. She creates an array of gear for the club’s shop, specifically table runners, which remain a top seller. Wolnik also knits 18-inch American Girl Doll sweaters.
“I find quilting and knitting very relaxing,” she said. The Pine’eer Craft Club member maintains that she spends an average of three hours a day perfecting her creations.
The Pine’eer Artisan Gift Shop is not-for-profit. According to a press release issued by Ocean Pines Association’s Director of Public Relations and Marketing, Josh Davis, since the club’s inception, it has donated nearly $185,000 back to the community.
As the treasurer, Wolnik said their profits go toward the police department and public works, among other initiatives.
“Considering all our members and the various income sources, we depend upon accuracy,” she said. “The more careful we are with our pennies, the more we have to give back to the community each year. I like playing my part in that process.”
Wolnik moved to Ocean Pines in 2004. The crafter is originally from Wisconsin but moved to Maryland when her husband was stationed at Andrews Air Force Base in Prince George’s County from 1963 until retirement.
In addition to the Ocean Pines club, the resident volunteers with the Atlantic General Hospital Thrift Shop and participates in other community activities, including chair yoga.
To browse Wolnik’s crafts, The Pine’eer Artisan Gift Shop at White Horse Park is open every Saturday from 8 a.m. to 3 p.m. and Sunday from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m., excluding holidays.
This year marks the club’s 50th anniversary. The group is always looking for new crafters; meetings are open to interested participants. For more information, shop managers Debbie Jiwa and Barbara Herzog can be reached by email at opcraftclub@aol.com.