FORT BRAGG, Calif. – Students of Mendocino College’s Krenov School of Fine Woodworking were welcomed to the coastal community with a surprise gift.

Each of the 23 students enrolled in the year-long program received a $75 gift card to Rossi Building Materials.

The gift cards were jointly provided by the Mendocino College Foundation and Rossi’s, and will help students purchase materials for the course.

“It is a really nice welcome to the town and will be genuinely useful to our students,” said Krenov School Director Laura Mays.

This year’s class of woodworkers includes 17 first-year students and six second-year students.

Students have travelled to Fort Bragg to participate in the program from Denmark, Austria, England, Australia, South Africa, Canada, and all over the United States, from Hawaii to New York.

The Krenov School was founded in 1981 by a group of Mendocino woodworkers who invited renowned woodworker and author James Krenov to the area.

The school was under the auspices of College of the Redwoods until 2017 when it was transferred to Mendocino College.

Students are engaged in full-time study, eight hours a day, six days a week over two semesters.

The gift cards were presented to the incoming class by Anna Kvinsland, development director for the Mendocino College Foundation.

Second-year student Kristi Williams spoke for the returning students when she said, “We second-year students are very grateful to be back, with the kind community’s support.”

To learn more about Mendocino College’s Krenov School of Fine Woodworking, go to https://thekrenovschool.org.

To find out how you can support local students, contact Kvinsland by email at This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. or call 707-961-2203.