When EndlessPens turned 3 years old in 2021, they celebrated by giving back to the community through a $1000 donation to One Simple Wish’s Scholarship Fund.
This 2022, as EndlessPens turns 4, they choose to uphold this tradition by donating 72 LAMY Safari Cozy fountain pens to the students and teachers of Tuburan Institute.
“The school is located in Davao, Philippines. Their focus is to provide balanced development of practical, expressive, and academic skills while striving to foster deep connections and authentic community as they together transcend differences and work towards mutual growth. Tuburan Institute is also a Nature School where children enjoy learning in ‘living’ classrooms, allowing them to experience and reconnect with the natural world while inspiring inner creativity.” (Visit their Facebook Page to learn more)
Kat’s Testimony
Truth be told, I was not a big fan of calligraphy class back in elementary school. I remember the endless loop drills—repeating the same stroke over and over in that one-hour class. My hand hurt and my handwriting still sucked. Needless to say, I was not too happy with the unnecessary torture only to end up with sub-par penmanship. Fast forward 30+ years later and I’ve turned out to be one of the biggest cheerleaders in keeping handwriting relevant.
Around 2012, I fell in love with typography. Then, I rediscovered calligraphy. My appetite for learning was incessant, and I consumed whatever I could get my hands on.
By 2018 I rediscovered fountain pens when my daughter’s school required their students to use one. I happily fell into a new rabbit hole. I was engrossed by these pretty writing contraptions, and I wanted to share them with everyone.
Four years later, here I am on my way to Tuburan Institute to turn over these boxes of Lamy Safari from EndlessPens.
Tuburan Institute is a Waldorf-Steiner school and one that appealed to me because of their emphasis on handwork. Communication is learned not by using a technological device from the onset but by old-school handwriting.
Communication is the exchange of thoughts, messages, or information, such as speech, signals, writing, or behavior. Writing with the use of the fountain pen emphasizes this connection between thought and matter (Renewal, A Journal for Waldorf Education, Vol. 10#2).
As one might have experienced, using a fountain pen requires much attention—you cannot just use a fountain pen out of the box. You need to flush it, ink it, and in some cases need to figure out why the ink may or may not be flowing properly.
When writing, the pressure should be just right. Press it too hard and you might break the nib—press it too light and the ink flow might be not consistent. This attention to detail teaches students valuable life skills early on—like problem-solving and conscientiousness.
Luckily, EndlessPens shares my passion for handwriting and was very generous in their support through this year’s donation of fountain pens for the children.
As I am writing this article, I am also going from grade to grade talking to the children about how to properly maintain and use fountain pens.
My first stop was the 9th graders. I quickly learned that they needed very little teaching and were largely impassive, as they had already been using fountain pens for 5 years.
However, they were much more interested when I started talking about the endless variety of nibs, inks, and how one can use pens beyond regular handwriting.
I will be speaking to the other grade levels in the days to come, and I am excited to know what questions they may have.
After that nerve-wracking experience of talking to teenagers, I felt some sense of gratification in sharing this passion for handwriting with the children—also going beyond regular note-taking and creating beautiful artwork with their hands.
If I could go back to my first-grader self I would tell her to be diligent with those drills and enjoy the journey.
The Joy and Privilege of Giving Back
As fountain pen collectors and hobbyists, one cannot deny the delight of a #NewPenDay! But a big part of the experience is also being able to share this joy with the community — through pen meets, penabling, and even through posts on social media. The hobby has become a great tool for bringing people together, bridging gaps, and finding common ground in a world that can, at times, be highly disconnected. This is why EndlessPens has chosen to celebrate their birthdays through charitable efforts. And they consider it a great privilege that they are in such a position to do so. This, of course, would not be made possible without the loyal support of their customers.
Turning Ripples into Waves
You too can take part in giving back! While stocks last, a portion from every purchase of the LAMY Cozy Safari series will go to benefiting more schools like the Tuburan Institute. It is EndlessPens’ hope that — together — we can reach more schools worldwide, help the youth discover the benefits of handwriting, and strengthen our community as it continues to grow.
Click here to purchase a LAMY Cozy Safari fountain pen, and join us in making a difference.
By Some Folks at EndlessPens
