Chili, knives and fun for a cause in Normandy

Larry Terrell, right, shows the two knives he made that he's donating to the Normandy Fire Department's auction while James Troxler looks on. The auction and chili supper will be Oct. 17. Sandy Terrell credits God and her mother for her own talent, which produced this painting. It will be donated to the auction as well. (T-G Photo by Mary Reeves) [Order this photo]

Larry and Sandy Terrell don't believe in burying their talents.

"The Lord gave us these talents," said Sandy. "It's our duty to share them with others."

Sandy is an artist. Largely self-taught, she works in acrylics and oils to create country still lifes -- wooden decoys in front of quilts and barn wood.

The knives Larry Terrell made, with American Stag handles, are left- and right-handed. He made them from start to finish in the shop behind his Normandy home. (T-G Photo by Mary Reeves) [Click to enlarge] [Order this photo]

Larry is also an artist, but you could say his work is a little more ... cutting edge. He makes knives. Boot knives, Bowie knives, folding knives, he makes each one from start to finish in the shop behind his Normandy home.

Normally the husband-and-wife team can sell their work for hundreds, if not thousands, of dollars. But every now and then, they give their work away -- to the Normandy Volunteer Fire Department. The firefighters then auction off their donations at the semi-annual chili supper, which is coming up Saturday, Oct.17, from 4 to 7 p.m., with the auction itself at 5 p.m.

Of course, there are many other items donated as well, from antiques and quilts to tools and toys. For the quiet little lakeside town, the chili suppers are events the residents look forward to. A lot.

"It's a fellowship thing," said James Troxler, who with his wife, Barbara, runs the publicity for the fire department. "We have it twice a year -- we spring forward and fall back."

For only $5 a plate, you can get chili, drinks and dessert, and it's good chili, too. The "secret recipe" is so secret, no one can remember who came up with it,

Troxler said they usually raise about $3,000 for the department with each event.

"We use it for the upkeep of the trucks, the building," he said. "It's no problem to find something to use it for."

The food and fellowship are wonderful -- but the auction draws its own share of attention, especially with such items as those the Terrells are offering. This year, Larry is donating two knives -- a matched set with a left-handed and right-handed boot knife. The blades are polished 440C stainless steel and the handles are made from American Stag, both from the same antler of the same buck.

"It's based on the SR-71 Blackbird reconnaissance knife," said Larry.

Hollow-ground by hand, the knives are held together with threaded screws, not rivets.

Sandy Terrell credits God and her mother for her own talent, which produced this painting. It will be donated to the auction as well. (T-G Photo by Mary Reeves) [Click to enlarge] [Order this photo]

"You'd have to burn it to get it apart," he said.

Larry started making knives when he was working in a machine shop.

"We got interested in knives," he said. "I decided to make a hobby of it, but it turned into more than a hobby."

He's retired from the machine shop, but not his own. It can take 40 to 60 hours to create one knife, which can then sell for anywhere from $100 to $1,000, depending on the materials. He's used buffalo horn from India, ebony from Africa, rosewood from Honduras and shittah (acacia) from the Sinai desert in Israel.

He has no problem turning these works of art over to the fire department, just as Sandy has no problem donating one of her paintings.

"We're part of this community," he said. "This is one way we can give back."

If you go

The Normandy Volunteer Fire Department's fall chili supper is from 4-7 p.m. Oct. 17 at the fire hall. The tickets are $5 and the auction begins at 5 p.m. If you would like to donate something for the auction, call James Troxler at 857-3340.