1 / 3

Chainsaw artist Wendy Robinson carved this wooden bear, named "Little Chief," for the American Fork Police Department. After being paid for her creation, Robinson donated the money back to the department after learning of its need for new protective vests for officers.

Courtesy photo

2 / 3

Chainsaw artist Wendy Robinson, in pink, poses with members of the American Fork Police Department, along with the wooden bear, named "Little Chief," she carved for them.

Courtesy photo

3 / 3

Chainsaw artist Wendy Robinson carved this wooden bear, named "Little Chief," for the American Fork Police Department. After being paid for her creation, Robinson donated the money back to the department after learning of its need for new protective vests for officers.

Courtesy photo

❮ ❯

Local artisan Wendy Robinson can take a piece of wood and carve it, using a chainsaw, into a bear, a pumpkin, a mushroom, an owl and many other things.

Last week, she completed a police bear carving and donated it to the American Fork Police Department. But, they got more than a bear. They actually got some help in paying for new bulletproof vests for the officers.

AFPD Honorary Col. Toni Jorgensen said she saw Robinson’s carvings on social media and then asked her to attend the group’s Spring Fling in March to demonstrate her carving. “She started the piece right there in front of an audience,” Jorgensen said.

Jorgensen told Robinson that she wanted to purchase the bear for the police department after it was completed. But, Robinson did not keep the money that was paid to her. She donated it back to the department after hearing about the need for the vests.

“We’ve been working on getting SWAT protection vests for everybody because right now the only ones that they have don’t offer as much protection, especially from rifles,” Jorgensen said.

Jorgensen said that a lot of officers all over are buying the protective vests themselves, using their own money. The cost is about $1,000 for each vest and a protective helmet. “We have to outfit 45-50 officers. So far, we’ve raised enough for three or four,” she said. “It’s the same vest, basically, but has more pieces of armor to make it more safe.”

Robinson is hoping that donating the money that was paid for the bear will help the cause. “My dad was a police officer in Montana for 33 years. I’m grateful for the vest protection he had then, but gun violence is out of control these days and the vests the officers have now are outdated and are in desperate need of an upgrade,” she said. “I wanted someone else’s dad, son, brother, sister to be safe while protecting us and our rights. Every little bit helps toward this cause.”

Robinson’s process for her creations goes beyond just carving out a shape. “When I carve a piece for someone or a cause, I like to get the story and insight on the reason why they want this carving,” she said. “It makes it more personal to me. At some point, the image comes to my head on what I’m going to carve. I also let the wood speak to me.”

This is the process that Robinson went through for the police bear, which she named “Little Chief.”

“The face was the hardest to do because I wasn’t sure if he needed a big smile, serious face, frown or no mouth at all. After talking with some friends, I decided on a subtle smile,” she said. “It fit well with the whole bear. The patches were hard to do because of so much detail in them, but I managed to get them pretty close. I carved the hat, suit coat, tie and white shirt in a realistic way, just like they’d be on a person. That’s how I carve, I try to get as detailed as possible.”

This particular carving was a hard one for Robinson to walk away from because of the extra work she put into it and the emotions it stirred seeing her dad in his police uniform growing up. “But I know Little Chief is where he needs to be: home in the American Fork police station, bringing smiles to everyone that sees him,” she said.

As for the rest of the money needed to purchase protective vests, the AFPD honorary colonels have a Venmo account, Afpso Hc, where donations can be made. Also, donations can be dropped off at the police station, with checks made out to the American Fork Public Safety Foundation. Additionally, the honorary colonels will be having a Christmas Market fundraiser at American Fork High School on Nov. 30, from 9 a.m. to 2 p.m., with vendors, raffles and pictures with Santa.