Rich Thome is an elementary physical education teacher by day and a talented wood carver by night.

So talented, in fact, 18 of his wood-crafted Christmas ornaments raised about $760 for the UPMC Children’s Hospital of Pittsburgh through a silent auction among Bon Air Elementary faculty this winter.

“I get a lot of joy out of it, when people react and appreciate it,” said Thome, 54. “It wouldn’t be possible if the staff wasn’t as generous as they are.”

Artistry is a somewhat new foray for Thome, a 28-year physical education teacher in the Burrell School District.

The first 25 years in the district were spent at Burrell High School, where he also taught an outdoor pursuits course. There, he taught knife skills to students and also headed a carving club for teachers.

Thome said he had no art background until picking up woodcarving in 2019.

“There’s a lot of good carvers on Instagram and YouTube,” Thome said. “I found a guy that made it look so easy.

“I look back on those early carvings and I’m like, ‘Why’d I even continue?’ Every year, it gets better.”

He first dabbled with spoon carving.

“It was fun, but not quite what I was looking for,” Thome said. “I thought, ‘I really want to do this, I think I can do it.’ ”

Carving ornaments, however, stuck. His designs include Santa Claus, elves, nutcrackers and Christmas trees.

“It’s so much fun. It’s relaxing. I could sit down with knives, and hours will go by,” Thome said.

He prioritizes giving the ornaments a wooden, shadowed feel.

“I like the facets,” he said. “I want it to look like it’s hand-carved.”

Thome moved to the elementary level three years ago and immediately fit in with the staff, said Justin Miller, who teaches physical education with Thome.

Come Christmastime, Thome asked how he could help with the Kids for Kids holiday market that was held at the former Stewart Elementary School.

Kids for Kids, held this year at Burrell’s Charles A. Huston Middle School after five years at Stewart, is a students’ craft market where all proceeds are donated to UPMC Children’s Hospital of Pittsburgh.

Thome contributed his ornaments to a silent auction among teachers.

Over the past three years, about $1,500 was donated to the Children’s Hospital from Thome’s ornaments, Miller said.

“He’s giving up his talents, and he’s giving up what his talents bring in,” Miller said. “It’s what Kids for Kids represents.”

Thome estimated he has about 150 pieces he has made in his Chicora home.

Outside of the annual silent auction, Thome has never sold a single ornament he has made — and has no intentions to.

“I don’t know what they’d be worth,” he said. “I cannot be insulted by any bid. All bids go to the Children’s Hospital, so no bid is too small. What an incredibly generous staff.

“If the staff wasn’t interested in it, I wouldn’t do it.”

Thome said the most enjoyable thing is knowing the piece is going to a home where it will be used and appreciated.

“I carve for myself,” he said. “If someone likes it, that’s great.”

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