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red750

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Posts posted by red750

  1. At least in Victoria, each shed is individual, and run by their own rules. Some are set up almost as a business or club with elected office bearers and run their own affairs. Others, like ours, are set up by an auspicing body which runs and finances the shed, with an employee of the auspicing body appointed as co-ordinator. However, all sheds can register as part of the Victorian Men's Shed Association, which lobbies on behalf of all Victorian sheds, and acts as a sort of clearing house for goods exchanged between sheds. eg. If our shed was gifted with a large supply of plywood, more than we would use, we can advertise it to other sheds through the VMSA. Grants from the state government are processed through the VMSA.

     

    Then there is the Australian Men's Shed Association, AMSA, which acts similarly with the federal government. Sheds can register with both organisations.

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  2. It's most likely that we won't find suitable accomodation to move across seamlessly. It will probably be that projects will have to be shelved for a period. We may have to look at hiring something like a scout hall where we can meet, chat, have a coffee, etc. The alternatives are, as we did during the pandemic, meet at a coffee shop, or hold Zoom meetings remotely.

     

    Some sheds are run like a factory. Come in, clock on, go to your work station and heads down till the lunchbell rings. There is one shed in our suburb which actually does have a lunch bell for tools down. Our shed is not like that. The first hour (10 am - 11 am) is, come in, have a cup of tea or coffee, sit and chat, discussing the news of the week since we last met, what's coming up in the near future, any personal details you care to discuss, tell yarns, footy/cricket, etc. Around 11, start doing what takes your fancy. Some go to the workshop to do personal or group projects, some tend the garden, one guy sits and does crosswords, some continue to chat, some sit back in an armchair and have a snooze. I am usually on the computer, doing my aviation stuff or tasks for the co-ordinator or other members. I also provide the humour, from the silly photos, funny videos and quickies from this website. Lunch is between 12 and 1 approximately, then back to whatever. The shed operates Monday, Thursday and Friday, roughly 10 am to 3 pm. A different group of guys attend each day (except me - I attend all 3). There are about 15 guys each day. Tuesday, the co-ordinator is at head office in Box Hill, and Wednesday, healthAbility uses the facilities for a group of young people from broken homes, school dropouts, etc. Some graduates from that course who would otherwise likely have drifted into crime or drug use, have gone on to be teachers, nurses and even one lawyer.

     

    The whole point of our shed is socialisation for retired gentlemen. In the main, retired guys who have little other social contact. Maybe their wives have passed on and they are on their own - at least 5 in that category.  Loneliness and depression can set in and have a very adverse impact on health. We have saved a few from depression.  Mens health, including mental health is the key objective of our shed. Other concerns are secondary.

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    • Informative 1
  3. 2 minutes ago, onetrack said:

    Inner city land is worth a fortune now, and industrial/commercial land is worse.

    Yep. There are a number of factory/warehouse type buildings empty around this and neighbouring suburbs, but rent would be six times what we have been paying.If the council could let us have an empty property, or a piece of land, for a peppercorn rental for a number of years, we can get up to $80,000 in a grant to upgrade or build.

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  4. A woman who had been married three times walked into a bridal shop one day and told the sales clerk that she was looking for a wedding gown for her fourth wedding.

     

    “Of course, madam,” replied the sales clerk, “exactly what type and color dress are you looking for?”

    The bride-to-be said, “A long frilly white dress with a veil.”

     

    “Please don’t take this the wrong way, madam, but such dresses are usually more fitting for the first time bride who is more innocent in the ways of life, if you get my meaning.”

     

    “WELL!,” replied the customer, a little peeved at the clerk’s directness, “I can assure you that a white gown would be quite appropriate. Believe it or not, despite all my marriages, I remain as innocent as a first-time bride.

     

    You see, my first husband was so excited about our wedding, he died as we were checking into our honeymoon hotel.

     

    My second husband and I got into such a terrible fight in the limo on our way to our honeymoon hotel that we had that wedding annulled immediately and never spoke to each other again.”

     

    “What about your third husband?”

     

    “That one was a politician “, said the woman, “and every night for four years, he just sat on the edge of the bed and told me how good it was going to be…but nothing ever happened.”

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    • Haha 2
  5. If y ou search billy cart on the net and select images, you get these:

     

    Kids Wooden Adjustable Billy Cart Go Kart Natural | Buy Pedal Go Karts ...       The billy carts are coming to town | Ferntree Gully Star Mail  True Local: Billy Cart Cave Image - "The OMG Machine"The billy cart ...  Build a Billy Cart Class at Maker Community | Brunswick, Victoria.

     

     

    Search "hill trolley" and you get golf trolleys (buggies), trolley buses, but nothing like the photos above.

     

    image.thumb.png.4ebf876e3edcb15c9c1d071ef694c3a8.png

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  6. The previous Whitehorse Council didn't want to have anything to do with us.A new CEO, mayor and councillors, and a very different attitude. They have been to see our operation, impressed with the service we provide for retired gentlemen, and are on board to help. They have a number of vacant buildings which are boarded up, its's a matter of working out which suits best, for size, facilities and location. Not much good having a building 20 km from where everybody lives. We also have connections with a number of Rotary Clubs (no, not helicopters), who have been generous benefactors in the past, and if we find somewhere that is suitable with a tenure of at least five years, but needs fitout/upgrade, there is a grant available through the Victorian Men's Shed Association. So it's not a matter of doom and gloom, but a matter of timing. These things don't happen over night. A bit more notice would have been appreciated, but it is what it is.

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