On Thursday and Friday afternoons you will find Doryman working on the waterfront.
We never know who might show up, so we try to find something for everyone to do.
Last week, the smallest visitors to the boathouse were treated to a rowing tour of the harbor with Andrew Linn. One of the younger mariners wasn't too sure this was fun but by the time they came back, everyone was hopping up and down.
Meanwhile the guys back in the shop were planning future projects. When the weather warms up and school lets out, we expect quite a bit more participation in our youth program. There has been a wide ranging discussion about which boat design we want to build, so hopefully we will have a strong-back set up in here soon.
That's going to be a great thing for the Port Michael (and, I think, for you)- and I'm particularly impressed that you have a youth program. I'd love to hear more about that.
ReplyDeleteRob
So far this project appeals more to retired fellows than the kids. For me, this is an extension of the boat building class I taught at the Toledo high school last winter. The school's shop class has been cut and is in danger of being eliminated.
ReplyDeleteWe hope to appeal to some of the same demographic, but outreach has been sporadic.
We have a handful of steady participants - all high school age and a rotating population that drop in or not, as they see fit.
We're applying for funding and in the mean time have cleaned up a couple of boats that were donated to support the program - which will be up for auction soon. It's been slow coming, but coming along just the same.
Some people want to wait until we have more kids to start anything big, but I say build it and they will come.
michael
I forgot to mention that each summer, on the third weekend, we have a boat festival in Toledo and two of the major events are the kid's toy boat building and the family boat building.
ReplyDeleteThe kids make toy boats from material we provide and their imaginations.
In the family boat building tent, a team, possibly a parent and child pay for materials and the build a small canoe with the help of professionals, which is launched on Sunday to cheers all around.
So part of what we will be doing in the boat house in coming months is getting ready for that event.
It's warm and sunny in Toledo in August, so maybe you should take a vacation, come north of the equator and join us?
One day I will!
ReplyDeleteEven if you only reach one kid per year you will be doing really wonderful work. All strength to your arm.
I remember when my sons were little, there was a small dam or pond near us that not only offered a few crustaceans, it also became the dreamscape for small homemade toy wooden yachts. Those boys learned to sail later, and their adolescent interest caused (in part) my boat-building and sailing thing years later, now. So in a very real sense, I have reaped what I sowed- and the older I get the more simple are the pleasures that move me.
I guess I should keep an eye on the Toledo Port blog site too.