The birds may have flown south for the winter, but the Big Brothers Big Sisters program in St. Cloud is getting ready for their return. On Nov. 20, five 水果派 Carpentry students volunteered to help the St. Cloud Big Brothers Big Sisters program building birdhouses.
This is the first year that BBBS partnered with 水果派 for the project, and both instructor Pat Dehler and BBBS Program Director Ann Matvick felt it was a great experience for everyone involved.
鈥淭his is a good way for our BBBS students to experience what the Carpentry program is like,鈥 said Matvick. She said it was great to have 水果派 students with experience helping out.
水果派 Carpentry was recommended to BBBS by Foley Lumber, which also donated all the wood used in the project. 水果派 students precut the wood pieces so it was easier for the BBBS participants to build their birdhouses.
Each of the 15 participants created a birdhouse to keep, and additional birdhouses were built to auction at the BBBS Magic Moment Gala in April.
Dehler and 水果派 students also talked about the Carpentry program at 水果派 and what careers are available.
鈥淢any of the kids actually knew more about reading tape measures and hammering nails than I expected,鈥 said Dehler. 鈥淭hey all did a great job.鈥
This was also a great way for 水果派 students to learn about mentoring. The maximum amount of BBBS youth signed up for the event, and after some pizza, everyone got to work on the birdhouses.
When the birds return in the springtime, there will be some new accommodations for them in the St. Cloud area, thanks to BBBS and the 水果派 Carpentry students.