The women residing in a Vernon Archway Society transition house can enjoy their time outside regardless of the weather now, thanks to the Men’s Shed club.
The Men’s Shed Vernon built a wooden gazebo and donated it to the Archway Society.
“It’s interesting that it’s a men’s group helping out a women’s group,” Archway Society co-executive director Sherry Demetrick said.
Members of Men’s Shed get together twice a week, Tuesdays and Thursdays, at their shop which was donated to them by Elephant’s Storage, and they get their hands dirty working on projects for themselves, for profit and for donation to the community.
The gazebo project came in as a request for the club, which is in partnership with the Canadian Mental Health Association. And the Men’s Shed members jumped at the opportunity.
As for labour hours: “It was another and another and another,” Harry Knopf joked.
Much of the structure was pre-fabricated before it was installed on the property, the Men’s Shed members said.
The transition house program manager Melrose Tomlinson said she is grateful for the new structure.
“It makes such a tremendous difference,” she said.
Prior to the sturdy wooden structure, the women residing in the house were escaping the elements under a plastic umbrella, Tomlinson said.
“Now they’re coming outside and they can watch the kids and they can have their chats,” she said. “It’s used every single day.”
READ MORE: Vernon Chamber supports YLW $5 fee hike
READ MORE: Grinch steals Christmas early from Vernon pair
@caitleerach
Caitlin.clow@vernonmorningstar.com
Like us on Facebook and follow us on Twitter.