A coffee table made of camphor laurel shows how much the members of the Wingham Men's Shed hold fellow member, Tony Baker in esteem.
Subscribe now for unlimited access.
$0/
(min cost $0)
or signup to continue reading
Tony was involved in the creation of the Men's Shed from it's very beginning, when Rotary met in 2006 to first throw around ideas.
A committee was formed to run the shed in 2009, and from then Tony has filled the role as its treasure. However this year Tony had to relinquish his role due to illness.
To show their appreciation of Tony, Men's Shed president Richard 'Bud' Olejniczak offered to finish a coffee table Tony had been making for his son, Tim.
In addition, the Men's Shed has awarded Tony with Life Membership in recognition of Tim's devotion to the cause from the beginning.
"Tony's been dealt a blow with cancer. He was going to make his son a table, but because he was too crook I took over," Bud said.
Tony is very happy with the end result.
Tony's been dealt a blow with cancer. He was going to make his son a table, but because he was too crook I took over.
- Bud Olejniczak
"Bud's done a fantastic job," he said.
"It was going to be my effort for Tim and the family. Tim had the slab stuck in his shed for about 10 years and he said one day 'you may as well take that with you. Take it up to the shed and you can make me a table'.
"So I did, and next thing I know I got crook and couldn't finish it.
"When I started doing the top I just didn't know how to finish off. And I never would have thought of doing it like Bud has done. I was just going to plant a couple of legs on it," Tony said.
Bud even complied with Tim's wish to have the Baker family crest on the table.
Also in the news: Firies amazed by fireproof house at Mount George
"The motto loosely translated is 'If I breathe I hope', which is pretty apparent!" Bud laughed.
Bud, though, is not as pleased with the end result. He thinks it's "a bit rough." But then, he is a perfectionist.
"Puts me in trouble a lot of the time, because then I have to do it five times. But then it's schmick," Bud said.
The Wingham Men's Shed is open on Mondays, Wednesdays and Thursdays from 8.30am to 2pm (loosely and depending on the weather). If you're interested in joining, just drop in when the shed is open.