Blenko Reborn: ; Glassmaker Returns From Uncertainty with High Spirits and Huge Crowds

Summary

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MILTON Leslie and Christian Kenworthy have collected more than 800 pieces of Blenko Glass in the past 11 years. On Saturday, they added a few more to their collection a few pieces they made themselves. The North Carolina couple was among hundreds of people who packed the Milton glass factory during the second Blenko Festival of Glass. The company opened its doors this weekend, allowing anyone to come in for a tour of the factory or hands-on classes in glassmaking. The Kenworthys try to come to Blenko about four times a year. Early Saturday morning, Leslie Kenworthy sat on a chair in the glass factory. Blenko workers helped her slowly rotate a vase she was carefully molding with calipers. They make it look so easy, but its not, she said. Foreman Randy Rider said lots of people believe that. A lot of the people think its easy because we make it look easy, but then they try it and see how difficult it can be, he said. More than 40 people crowded around Kenworthy, Rider and other workers at any one time Saturday morning as tour groups filed through, often gaping in amazement at slowly rotating, glowing globs of heated glass. Carol Burchett of Plainfield, Ky., was passing through the factory with some of her family. She said the factory tour served as a little field trip for the kids before they went back to school. This place is awesome, isnt it? she said. Rita Patrick of Kenova, her daughter and granddaughter were all making glass paperweights or ring holders Saturday morning. Patricks daughter signed the three of them up for the course. With a yellow bandana wrapped around her head, Patrick stood in the line of high heat while she rotated the barb with her glass trinket on the end of it. Im no artist, she joked as she sat down to take a breather. It is so fascinating to watch a big glob of glass orbit into different shapes. Blenkos future was uncertain earlier this year. The company laid off workers and considered bankruptcy after facing the prospect of a $500,000 unpaid gas bill. Rider said he wouldnt know where else to go if Blenko closed. Glassmaking is all he and a lot of the other workers know, he said. Ill be honest, I cried, he said. I was afraid. Id go to bed praying every night, hoping that someone would come in and help us. Kenworthy was heartbroken to hear the news. She and her husband have gotten to know a lot of the workers like they were part of their family. It broke my heart, she said. We have no kids and this is where we spend all of our money. Weve been coming here for eight years and you get to know all of the people. It was horrible. Once the news got out about Blenko facing possible closure, orders from local and nationwide supporters poured in. The mood wasnt dark on Saturday. The glow of heated glass and the shiny finished products in neon blue, forest green and crystal clear, exemplified the colorful mood of visitors and employees. On Saturday, the store was lined wall-to-wall with people waiting to get their items signed by Walter Blenko, the companys president. Katie Trippe, Blenkos assistant vice president, was working the cash register. She said she was overwhelmed by Saturdays turnout, with many of the classes booked solid or overbooked. Still, she said, the company isnt on firm financial ground yet. We feel good about the coming year. We feel like were moving in the right direction, she said. We are by no means where we should be, but we are in a better situation than weve been in for a long time.

Lawrence Pierce | Sunday Gazette-Mail photos Christian Kenworthy (center) is helped by Blenko Glass foreman Randy Rider (left) and employee Justin Chafin during Saturdays glassmaking classes.

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Blenko Reborn: ; Glassmaker Returns From Uncertainty with High Spirits and Huge Crowds

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