Edmund Fitzgerald Talk at Next Bruce Men’s Shed Meeting December 16th

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Photo: Members building the bird nesting boxes under the watchful eye of the Globe & Mail.
Submitted by The Bruce Men’s Shed 

Men’s Sheds are an excellent way to share hobbies, interests, and knowledge with others as well as to meet new people. Numerous studies of both rural and urban isolation have been written about how men can be negatively affected by time spent alone. While the building boom in North Bruce is bringing a lot of new faces to the community, new homes here are built on acreage properties, mostly hidden from view from the road and neighbours. The isolation is palpable and is what many of us look for when moving here from cities in southwestern Ontario, but can later negatively affect mental health.

A Globe and Mail reporter with a photographer made the trek to talk to group members during a bird nesting box build-a-thon. They were interested in learning about how Men’s Sheds help to reduce isolation. A group of Shed members spent a couple of days building nesting boxes, using donated and purchased barnboard. Forty-some odd boxes were cut and put together at a members’ workshop. A batch of nine nesting boxes for flycatchers were built and a batch of 10 for bluebirds. These were requested by, and soon will be presented to, Nature Conservancy Canada, a very active group in Northern Bruce.

Our group was busy with a number of events these last few weeks. We hiked the Cape Chin South loop which took a group of nine men on a five kilometre hike including the climb to the Fred Binding Lookout. An amazing view if you have not been, check it out. The following week we did a similar length at Spirit Rock. Last week we walked at Harrison Park in Owen Sound, and had a great guided tour of the Marine and Rail Museum Owen Sound.

We also started a scale model building club, starting out with once-a-week sessions at the Lion’s Head Legion. Members brought in kits they already had, or had recently bought, for this event.

Bruce Men’s Shed purchased a number of tool kits, cutting mats, and glue that are free to use at the gatherings. Depending on the interest (and the weather of course) we hope to continue in January.

Our monthly meeting takes place on Saturday, December 16th from 9:00 – 11:00 am at Legion 202 on highway 6 just north of Ferndale. Doors open at 8:30, we are holding a potluck Christmas Breakfast. Member speaker Captain Gerry will be giving a talk about the Edmund Fitzgerald. 

If you would like further information on how to get involved with the Men’s Shed movement, please don’t hesitate to contact the Bruce Men’s Shed at brucemensshed@gmail.com or call Gerry at (519) 793-3005.