By Taver Cornet
John Knox Village has added a new facility and activity for the residents in the form of a fully equipped woodworking shop. This new shop is in addition to the Hobby/Repair shop that has been in place for years. The Hobby Shop, conveniently located in the Centre behind the Gift Shop off of the hallway leading to Oak View Suites Assisted Living, will remain in its current location, easily accessible for your repair needs.
There is a historical connection to the Woodshop; the former administrator, Les Barker, was a wood turner. Les would use the wood from trees that were blown down at John Knox Village and turn it into bowls and writing pens.
Many John Knox residents are former and current woodworkers, and some of them have created shops in the garages at their residences. Now all residents will have the opportunity to work in a fully air-conditioned shop.
The creation of the shop has been a result of the combined efforts of the Administration, the Foundation, the generous donations of two JKV families, and the hundreds of hours of volunteer labor from a small group of volunteers.
The idea for the new woodshop began when Jerry Herod met with Chief Administrative Officer Joe Trainor, and secured a commitment for a location at 1562 Sunset Drive, which also would include much-needed electrical upgrades for the facility. Sunset Drive is behind the Oak Park Building off of Monastery Drive. Joan Furci donated a fantastic set of woodworking equipment that her husband, Frank, had used in his personal shop. This equipment is the foundation for the entire shop.
A grant from the John Knox Foundation and the funds from the Jerry Herod Memorial provided the basis for completing the shop.
Once the commitment for the location was obtained, a steering committee was formed to create a set of regulations to provide safety and operating procedures, and to secure funding and donations to make the idea a reality.
A volunteer operating committee worked to design the shop workflow and inspected, overhauled, and placed the equipment. In addition, they installed cabinets, built workbenches, and purchased the rest of the equipment to complete the shop. These efforts amounted to several hundred hours of labor.
Safety is a primary concern for the small group that has devoted many months to making the woodshop a reality. Two people are required in the shop at all times, including shop staff. All residents who apply to use the shop will be required to view safety films and have ‘one-on-one’ instruction on each piece of equipment that they will be using. Use of the shop by residents is not a right under the resident contract but a privilege based on following the shop procedures.
After more than 500 volunteer hours by the steering and operating committees, the shop is now ready for resident use. The woodshop is open Monday through Friday from 9 a.m. to noon for use by residents who have applied to use the shop, and have completed safety and equipment training. If you are interested in learning more about using the facility, contact resident
Taver Cornett.
