The timing is perfect. Spring is here, temperatures are rising, and soon the ice will be off the lakes.
Meanwhile, the Cold Lake Men’s Shed has hand-built a beautiful piece of outdoor furniture suitable
for the back deck or the cabin. The side-by-side Adirondack chair will go to the highest bidder at Saturday’s Hearts For Healthcare gala and auction.
The Men’s Shed offers men—mostly retired guys—a place to meet up and work together on different projects. They can build things for themselves or for their friends and neighbours, but the real value is in finding ways to contribute to the community at large.
“Our push here has been more to put it into the community,” said Mens Shed founder and member Wayne Warner.
Warner said the members like to get together and put their time and skills to work. It’s a great social setting, it’s a creative outlet, and it feels good just to be doing meaningful work.
And it’s satisfying to take the time to make high-quality pieces like the twin Adirondack chairs.
“It’s great to start out with a piece of wood and end up with something somebody’s going to treasure,” Warner said.
The annual Hearts For Healthcare gala will offer great food and entertainment as always, according to organizer Kari Leiper. “We have 650 people attending, and some really great entertainment. We have aerialists coming from Edmonton, we have the Firefly jugglers, and Ten Souljers playing the dance.”
The goal is to raise $120,000, of which $100,000 will go to new endoscopy equipment for Cold Lake Health Centre.
Hearts For Healthcare will also present its Healthcare Award of Excellence and Nursing Award of Excellence at the event.
