[News] Squamish Men's Shed Society: #SeniorSpotlight

Entering his golden years, Donald Lawton faced a daunting challenge of rediscovering his self-worth and identity post-retirement. Having dedicated his life to serving as an Anglican Priest followed by a stint in England, he uprooted himself to Squamish, BC, yearning to be closer to his son.

“I was giving up not only that which I found fulfilling and challenging but also that which gave me identity, my understanding of my self-worth, and my sense of contribution to society,” reflects Donald.

In 2018, Donald found a renewed sense of purpose as he became a part of the Squamish Men's Shed Society. This community group, designed for retired men, provided a safe haven for camaraderie and social interaction, fostering mental and physical well-being. The Men's Shed members, drawing upon a wealth of skills acquired through diverse careers and life experiences, embraced volunteerism and community projects. United Way British Columbia played a pivotal role by generously funding these initiatives.

Donald assumed the leadership of the intergenerational program, a summer workshop catering to children aged 5 to 11. Here, the young ones were tutored in woodworking skills by the seasoned members of the Men’s Shed.

“They like working with the kids, and it’s encouraging to see. Some of them really enjoy sharing their skills and abilities with the kids and helping the kids develop skills to problem solve,” Donald says, emphasizing the joy and excitement derived from the collaboration with the Sea to Sky Community Services out-of-school program.

Donald underscores the critical role played by United Way British Columbia in making all this possible. “If we didn’t have United Way BC support and funding, we wouldn’t exist, and therefore we wouldn’t be able to do the work.”

Becoming a member of the Squamish Men’s Shed has proven to be a true blessing for Donald. “The Men’s Shed has become a community that provides me with friendship, involvement, and connection to a wider community. I have found the team experience that had been so rewarding in my professional life and that I thought I had lost in retirement.”

The Squamish Men’s Shed Society has been in operation since 2017 and currently has 25 members, who contributed 3,000 volunteer hours towards 20 community projects in 2022. United Way BC has funded the start-up of 17 sheds in BC as well as 30 projects by pre-existing sheds from 2021-2023. To learn more about United Way British Columbia Men's Sheds, visit our website here: https://uwbc.ca/program/healthy-aging/

*Pictured is Donald Lawton alongside one of the youth involved in a Totem project

#SeniorSpotlight #MensSheds #UnitedWayBC #HealthyAging