Volunteers are busy swinging their hammers to remodel two garage bays at Maple Crest Senior Living Village and turn them into a woodworking shop.

It kind of resembles an old fashion "barn raising" that the Amish and Mennonites are famous for. Although the shell and roof were already in place, there was much to do.

Recently volunteers under the direction of the Cal Reese, the volunteer general contractor of the project, began the refashioning of the space.

The volunteers removed a center wall and placed in a large support beam, worked on electrical wiring, closed the garage doors, added windows and a door. This week they are busy putting up insulation, drywall and they will soon be paneling, painting, and finishing the trim work.

CEO, Laura Voth said, "It is wonderful to have these volunteers come to help us create a woodworking space where those who have taken pleasure in this hobby all their life can continue to enjoy it."

At Mennonite Home Communities there are several residents who already have been pursuing their hobby at another location. That location was in need of improvements and wasn't in a convenient location for the majority of residents to use. This new woodworking shop will be a spacious area where multiple people can gather and work on projects.

Volunteers have come from several communities and many have put in eight hour days. Dave Fett and Mahlon Gieger have worked closely with Cal along with Terry Schey, Keith Brauen, Dan Amstutz, Dennis Sheidler and Bruce Steingrass.