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Our Story

The concept of The Carpenter's Crew came to me as I was preparing to retire. Like so many other men, my sense of worth has been in part tied up in my work. I saw many of my retired friends sitting around feeling lost without a sense of accomplishment and the social benefits that they achieved through the work environment. The idea came to me 'Why not get them together for a social time and do some work in the community?' The idea of getting retired men off the couch and working with other volunteers on community projects is a win/win for both the individuals and the people who they help. This vision resonated with the men I mentioned it to and they were quick to jump on board. One of the men suggested the name for the group - The Carpenter's CrewWe realized that the relational aspect of the group would be equally important to the physical work. This led to a decision to start the workday with a crew breakfast to ensure that relational bonds are formed between the crew members before tackling the day's project. As one of the men stated, "Men connect when they're shoulder to shoulder", working alongside each other. The community projects are a great workout for both the body and for the soul.

DAVID HARTMAN, Founder

Other Founding Members

Alex Henderson, Guelph ON               Steve Taylor, Guelph ON

Wayne Arnott, Elora ON                      Don Speers, Elora ON

Bernie Kraemer, Fergus ON                Rich Maertens, Guelph, ON 

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