We were very generously give the time and expertise of four young men who came in on Saturday and installed the majority of the insulation into the shed.
Allan and I prepared a BBQ lunch for them and cleaned up at the end of the day.
It’s so warm in there now you can go back to shorts and a T-shirt!
May 22, 2022. After all the excitement and hoop-la of the Federal elections, a day out at Bunnings seems the perfect antidote.
Obviously he public thought so too as we were ‘flogged’ most of the day and came away with a pleasing result.
A big thank you to all members who came along and gave a hand.
Well done us!
A quite unexpected but very welcome addition to the WCMS facilities was made over the last few weeks by the ACT Government Property Group.
Having made a prior inspection of the premises, they could see that we had an urgent need to improve the facility prior to another predictably cold winter. This led them to secure funding and arrange the purchase and install of heating and cooling equipment.
The main meeting room facility now has an 8kw reverse cycle air conditioner installed and should be more than capable of both heating the main room in winter and cooing it down during the heat of summer.
The big metal box that we call the workshop received four massive strip heaters, which had to include an upgrade to the electrical system and the shed switchboard. They have already been put into use as the days get cooler and should be a huge bonus to those wishing to work in the shed over the winter months.
So, again, a huge Thank You to the ACT Government Property Group for this magnificent contribution to our wellbeing.
In the run-up to Easter, the Management of Cooleman Court invited us to run our stall over two days, outside Aldi.
The boys had been making cute little rabbits that held a chocolate egg each, and kept busy topping up their supply of picnic tables and owl money boxes for weeks beforehand, and so on the day, they had a great display of hand-made products to display and sell.
The pop-up stall went so well that there are no Bunnies left, not even one to take a photo of! Overall another very healthy contribution toward bolstering the funds of the WCMS was made and a huge big thank you must go to Allan Booth and his crew, they did a magnificent job.
2 April 2022 830-400
Our first outing to Bunnings at Majura Park. Despite the wind and rain and distinct Autumn coolness, we had another good day raising much needed funds for the Shed. We were perhaps taken a bit by surprise as the demand was instant and lasted all day, right up until the last sizzling snag was dispatched right on four o’clock. We were prepared for the 500 that had been advised, but much to our delight, had to go to the shops and get more, the new bread turning up just in the nick of time.
Many many thanks to all members who came out and stood shoulder-to-shoulder knocking out snags, With or Without, as the call may have been from the counter. Good on all of us.
Well it took a bit longer than the first four containers, but #5 was finally sealed up and sent down to the good people at Quaama.
To celebrate its arrival they had a Grand Opening BBQ, catering for people from miles around, some from way down over the Victorian Border.
That’s how much reach our Community Service has, and when you consider that it cost WCMS nothing except a bit of time and effort, you have to appreciate just what the impact on these remote communities our involvement has.
We thought it such a good idea that we presented a case to widen the scope of the project to AMSA, but alas it has fallen on deaf ears.
Undaunted, Container for Good #6 is now on site and waiting to be filled up with quality metal and woodworking tools, garden tools, furniture, especially storage, and other useful items. We understand that the Quaama connection has funding for another two containers, a total of eight container’s worth of unwanted items that would probably have ended up in landfill that have instead ended up being recycled and reused by very grateful people.
On Thursday 16 December 2021, Thirty-seven members were treated to a hot roast turkey and hot glazed ham lunch with all the trimmings.
Yum-oh!
The Committee would like to thank all members for attending and making the lunch a resounding success. It was great to see lots of ‘old’ members and many new members all enjoying the occasion and each others company.
While the plate loads of food were being savoured and despatched to the interior, our President, Allan Booth, recapped the year’s activities that have helped so many people on so many levels. He also briefed us on the latest news from or Peak Body, The Australian Men’s Shed Association. He brought his address to a close with the announcement that the ‘Pud’ and custard was waiting in the kitchen for anyone who fancied capping of the excellent meal.
As the organiser, Brian would like to say a special thank-you to his fellow Committee members who did such a great job, not just on the day but the weeks leading up to the lunch. And, of course to all other members who were happy to pitch in and do their bit.
Shoulder to Shoulder – that’s the spirit of the WCMS.
The Shed was fortunate enough to be given a second shop-slot at Cooleman Court, this time in the prime position downstairs under the clock.
The workshop lads worked furiously for two weeks turning out reindeer, picnic-tables, toys and chopping-blocks.
Business was brisk from the off, the first lady arrived right on the dot of 9 and carried off over $200 worth. A huge thanks to her.
Each and every member of the Weston Creek Men’s Shed extends a big thank-you to the lovely people at Cooleman Court centre management.
20 November 2021
Today, twelve month’s of hard work by the workshop boys paid off with a very successful pop-up shop held at Cooleman Court shopping centre.
Cooleman Court Management have been exceeding good to us as an organisation and today was no different. They supplied us with the floor space, brand new display cabinets and chairs and some pre-sales day advertising.
We also had another windfall when one of our members, Bruce McKenzie supplied us with a large quantity of superbly made wooden toys. These, along with the latest timber reindeer, DJ Cats and picnic tables, were snapped up off the tables by delighted customers, so much so that pre-orders had to be taken for some items to be built and supplied by us before Christmas..
To quote Allan Booth :
There is no other word for it our stand at Coolo was an outstanding success that achieved a very pleasing level of sales. This will certainly add to our budget for the coming year and enable further programs and development to take place. A big thank you to all involved, the challenge now is to prepare product for sale on the 7 December. We already have over twenty orders for reindeer. I am sure all present will acknowledge that the donation by Bruce of toys for sale was a major contributor to our success. Thank you all, for your contributions.
Don’t forget, we have another sale day at Cooleman Court on Tuesday the 7th December, so it will be busy time in the workshop between now and then, all offers of help gratefully accepted!