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 more than 40 Sheds across the province over the last 10 years. He really loves promoting the impact of Men’s Sheds, and helping Sheds grow and develop. He’s great at it, because he speaks from his own personal experience.
Back in 2015, when Mike sold his BC wood chipping equipment dealership, he found himself at a crossroads. “Everything was centered around my business,” he said. “When that was over, I wasn’t going to belong anywhere.”
Then he saw an article in the Vancouver Sun, featuring Winnipeg’s Doug Mackie, founder of the first Shed in Canada, describing how a Men’s Shed can make all the difference for men looking for somewhere to go and something to do.
The article prompted him to ask where he could find a Men’s Shed in Coquitlam. It tuns out there wasn’t one, yet. But that didn’t stop Mike. He called some friends and neighbours, and they started to get together regularly.
“We’d carve, play bocce, and talk about how to get the Shed going”, says Mike. “In bad weather we’d go to the Sunstar Restaurant, and these days 10 or 15 of us still meet there every week.”
They came up with a constitution and by-laws, and the Coquitlam Men’s Shed was born. In those early days they would meet in Blue Mountain Park. Word started to spread, and more men joined as they reached out, made presentations, and formed alliances with politicians and local social service organizations.
Mike has always been a strong believer in the mentorship that happens in a Men’s Shed. “There’s a place for everyone,” he says.” It’s important for men of different ages to get together and learn from one another.”
Four years later, in 2019, Coquitlam Mayor Richard Stewart introduced him to the Executive Director of Red Door Housing, a non-profit society that provides affordable rental housing in the Lower Mainland, who offered the Shed a home at no cost. In return, they give back regularly to the co-op community, whether fixing broken bikes for refugee kids, working with the kids to repair damaged furniture for their families’ homes, or doing special projects onsite.
At the heart of the Shed are its community projects. These days, Mike and the Coquitlam Shed are collaborating with several other Sheds to convert a dozen antique wood pews, donated by a Vancouver Church, into useful furniture that will be distributed to refugees through the Flourishing Foundation.
It’s been an exercise in teamwork: the Stevenson Men’s Shed deconstructed and transported the pews; the Mount Pleasant Shed stored the wood material; and the Port Moody Shed processed it into boards. And now comes the creative part: Wally at Port Moody is building a step stool; Zhang at the Burnett Street Shed is making a coffee table; Bob at the White Rock Shed is designing a set of dining room chairs using whole pews; and Mike is making the side table pictured in the accompanying photo.
The first items are expected to be delivered in the next couple of weeks. “It’s especially satisfying because we know we’ll be contributing nicer stuff than refugees usually get.”
As he steps down from eight years at the helm of the first MSABC Board, Mike plans to spend more time connecting with fellow Shedders and working on projects at the Coquitlam Shed.
“I went through a bad patch after my divorce, and there were few resources for men. I saw the same thing when I was going to sell my business,” says Mike. “Joining the Shed has meant the world to me.”
On behalf of Shedders across B.C., thank you Mike, for being one of the great ambassadors for the Men’s Shed movement in B.C. You’ve made a big difference in many men’s lives and we know you will continue to do so.