It鈥檚 a welcome change for many of the women trying their hand at woodworking in the Men鈥檚 Shed.

That鈥檚 because woodworking hasn鈥檛 traditionally been offered to the ladies.

鈥淲e鈥檙e all in our later years, so when we went to school we had to take dressmaking and cooking, we were never allowed in the wood shop,鈥� said Donna Harms, president of the newly established Vernon She Shed Society.

Most of the She Shed members to date are in their 40s, 50s and 60s.

Harms said she thinks the ladies get even more enjoyment learning to woodwork than the boys at Men鈥檚 Shed, because 鈥渋t鈥檚 never been offered to us.鈥�

And now the ladies have made their presence official, being certified as a registered society.

That means the group of female woodworkers that鈥檚 been around for just over a year can now access funding opportunities and is in a better position to expand and get to work on more community projects.

鈥淢ore than anything we wanted to move forward with that because we can get funding to help pay for our rent, to help pay for our insurance and for wood products that we can use to build things to give back to the community,鈥� said Harms on the group鈥檚 successful effort to become a registered society.

The She Shed is proof that it isn鈥檛 just men who are interested in working with their hands, and in Vernon, the men and women are working together. The She Shed has rented a space from Men鈥檚 Shed Vernon, and they鈥檙e currently using it to build 40 birdhouses for the Vernon Girl Guides to paint and decorate.

鈥淔ortunately the Men鈥檚 Shed have been most generous with us and given us some cedar that we can use however we want,鈥� Harms said.

She added the wood has been donated and the birdhouses the women will create out of it will be given to the Guides free of charge.

Harms says it鈥檚 been heartwarming to watch the She Shed grow over the past year.

鈥淚t has been so exciting because there鈥檚 so many ladies who really would like to do woodwork 鈥� and who鈥檇 have thought?鈥�

Harms highlighted some of the 鈥渁mazing鈥� projects the gals have worked on, including coat racks, planter boxes, benches and mantles. The She Shed has about 40 women who have expressed interest in joining the club, but as Harms said, 鈥淲e need more girls to help us out.鈥�

For those who would like to join the She Shed, an information session will be held Jan. 9, from 6-9 p.m., at the Men鈥檚 Shed, 7158 Meadowlark Rd.

She Shed membership is $25 a year and members are offered 10 training sessions of three hours each for a total of $150.

鈥淲e鈥檒l show them how to use the saws and how to put together one project, and then they can come with their own project and as long as they supply their own wood, then we鈥檙e good,鈥� Harms said.

Rent and insurance are adding up for the club and donations to help cover their costs are welcome.

The ladies are also always looking for community projects to undertake. To get in touch email vernonsheshed@gmail.com.

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