Gifts have come early for the craftsman and tinkerers at the Pepperfield Lifestyle Resort men's shed in Bowral.
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A brand new bench saw was gifted to the Pepperfield Men's Shed courtesy of Kevin Dunlop, a well-known local Plymouth Brethren Christian Church (PBCC) member and his son-in-law Darren Seeley.
The gift was in response to an approach by Pepperfield resident, Dorothy Weber, who was seeking out can and bottle donations from Darren that could be converted to cash to buy tools and supplies for the men's shed.
"The PBCC has been part of the Southern Highlands for more than 50 years, and we are very happy to contribute in this way to the local community," said Dunlop.
Son-in-law Seeley visited the men's shed where he met Maurice Grace, Don Chapman and Barry Wilmot.
"They were great blokes, and their coordination of the men's shed activities was bringing a lot of joy to other residents, as well as helping the broader community," he said.
"Last year they made microbat boxes and possum refuge boxes to help wildlife in the district after the devastating bushfires wiped out their habitat.
"This year they designed commercial sized cling wrap and aluminium foil dispensers for Meals on Wheels Southern Highlands, which volunteers love as it makes packaging meals much easier.
"The new bench saw will be the gift that keeps on giving - we look forward to seeing what the guys get up to in the New Year."
Dorothy Weber said that the gift will be put to great use, with more than 15 men dropping into the men's shed on a weekly basis to repair furniture and toys, and create custom made household items.
"It's beginning to feel a lot like Christmas; at this time of year, it's fabulous to see how we can all support each other in our local community," she said.
Maurice Grace, president of the men's shed, said it was a wonderful place for men to come together and tinker around.
"Most men typically aren't that great at talking to one another, and the men's shed provides a space where we can meet new people, have a chat, and build some great friendships," he said.
"This bench saw is very versatile and replaces our old one. I can't wait to see our men use it, as we will be able to do so many new things. Thank you."
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