Men's Shed Vernon is teaming up with Santa's Anonymous

Photo: Men's Shed Canada

The Men's Shed Vernon are using their wood working skills to help Santa this year.

Members of the group will be working with Santa's Anonymous to help provide a merry Christmas to under-privileged children.

Pat Broshart, with the Men's Shed, said the partnership is in its infancy.

“We are trying to see what Santa's Anonymous would like to have,” said Broshart. “We are a wood shop for men and we have a lot of idle hands right now, so I thought we could get a nice project going for Men's Shed and Santa's Anonymous.”

Broshart said they are looking into making “simple wooden toys” that can be handed to area children.

“That's our forte. We could probably mass produce a bunch of them,” he said. “There are a lot of members who could come up with wooden cars or train sets. I have even seen wooden cribs for little girls to put their 'babies' in there.”

One of the goals of Men's Shed is to have its members engaged in community projects and have worked with numerous local agencies.

It also helps keep the retirees busy by giving them something to focus on and be involved with.

“We are trying to really get the word out right now about men's mental health,” said Broshart. “This is a time when men will suffer greatly from mental health. They say 75 per cent of suicides are by men. We talk about it openly. Mental health is the major role Men's Shed provides."