A special shed in Arnprior is helping senior men stay active and contribute to their community.
An organizer says it has been such a success that he wants to open more spaces like it across Renfrew County.
It’s called the Men’s Shed and it’s managed by Arnprior Region Health. Anyone can come to the shed to work on “hands-on” projects, like a picnic table or bench.
Founder Darrel O’Shaughnessy says it’s important because senior men are less inclined to socialize, but many are isolated and need an opportunity to get out of the house, interact with others, and feel productive.
“Our common purpose more than anything else is to simply give back more than we receive,” he says. “We have a common saying and that is, ‘no matter how you feel, you get up, you show up, you dress up, and you never, ever give up.’”
O’Shaughnessy has been speaking to several councils throughout Renfrew County to encourage people who want to be part of new Men’s Shed projects to reach out to him. They can contact him at [email protected] .