This month we had a chance to catch up with Mike Jennings, as he steps down from his position as the first Board President of the Men’s Shed Association of B.C., a role he has held since 2017. Mike has been a tireless advocate for Men’s Sheds in B.C. and has been involved in starting
Dan Lynch of the Arnprior/Braeside/McNab Men’s Shed near Ottawa was on tour in Ireland last month and took the time to visit four of the 450 Men’s Sheds on the Island. Here’s some of what he shared with us, in his own words. “In speaking to the men, it was obvious that we have a
The Men’s Shed in Penticton, BC delivered numerous handmade marimbas to KVR Middle School this month, after spending more than 240 hours building the musical instruments from scratch. This latest project kicked off at the end of the summer, when the school’s fine arts and band teacher, Fahlon Palm, asked if they could construct a
In advance of the Canadian Conference on Gerontology and Geriatrics in Edmonton, Men’s Sheds Canada was pleased to host a pre-conference Research Symposium, bringing together research professionals from across the country to share knowledge and discuss future approaches. Among the speakers was Dr. Corey Mackenzie of the Aging and Mental Health Lab at the Department of
The Men’s Shed community was abuzz in Edmonton on October 25, as representatives from Men’s Sheds Canada and the Alberta Men’s Sheds Association gathered to exchange best practices and plan for future collaborations to strengthen Men’s Sheds in Alberta and beyond. Following a productive joint Board meeting and a afternoon of presentations for invited stakeholders from
Opinion: Older Men Are Fighting a Silent Battle — Men’s Sheds Could Be the Key to Helping Written by Kristen Lonergan, with contributions by Evan Foster. Jan Skora, 72, has been living in his three-building condominium community in Ottawa for nearly 20 years, and despite the buildings’ large senior population, he’s noticed that one demographic
The Bike Shed – Part of CALL Men’s Shed In early 2019 when talking at the Men’s Shed at Confederation Park 55+ centre, I mentioned that I was working on bikes with Gina Eaton at her home in SW Calgary. I explained that most of the bikes go to refugee families, especially young children. Gina
Two Sheds are Better Than One – The Story of New Beginnings Men’s Shed The New Beginnings Men’s Shed is a Shed true to its name. After experiencing a tragic house fire, Brent Goetz sought connection with others, eventually meeting with the former president of Men’s Sheds Canada. They talked over coffee about the value
Building Bonds, Crafting Communities: Exploring Men’s Sheds Ontario Men’s Sheds Ontario (MSO) is a provincial association that supports Men’s Sheds across the province, giving Sheds a space to share experiences and helping them leverage support from one another. HelpAge Canada had the privilege of speaking with Men’s Sheds Ontario’s Outreach Coordinator, Nick Fry, and their
Crafting Community Together: The Story of the Cold Lake Men’s Shed and Age FriendlyCold Lake In 2019, Cold Lake Alberta saw the inception of the Cold Lake Men’s Shed, spearheaded by Wayne Warner. Drawing from his military experience, Wayne noticed that older men often didn’t get the mental health support they need and was motivated
From Tools to Tech – The Story of Kerby Tech Shed The Kerby Tech Shed started when Bob, and his wife, moved to Calgary from Ottawa in 2018 after the couple retired. Moving two provinces away is a big change, and Bob was eager to put down roots in his new community. That’s when he
“Who can I help today?” – The Story of Fundy Men’s Shed The Fundy Men’s Shed, located in Saint John, New Brunswick, launched in 2023 with eight members. Their collective mission is powerful: learn newskills, forge meaningful connections, and make a difference in their community. The group was fortunate to land the perfect meeting space
No Fixed Address, No Problem – The Story of Bruce Men’s Shed In April 2023, the Bruce Men’s Shed found its roots on the Bruce Peninsula, providing a welcoming space for older men to gather, exchange stories, enhance their skills, and form long-lasting friendships. The Shed doesn’t have a dedicated meeting space yet, but for