Learning life skills

Shannon LeClair
Times Reporter

 

The Harvest Healing Centre is looking to take your used cars so that the youth in the community can learn a new trade. Inside the church is a little different than what you would normally expect. One section is a mechanics shop, complete with a professionally installed hoist.
Don Howe, shop manager for the centre, said he would love to see all sorts of equipment be donated in order to teach the youth, girls and boys, about how things work, and possibly spark a lifelong interest in them.
“It’s not only the cars, I would like to have go-karts, snowmobiles, motorcycles, I don’t care what it is, if it’s got a motor on it, and the kids can learn from it, (then I want it),” said Howe.
“What we’re looking for is people who will donate vehicles for a tax deduction, I mean we can do that, or if they just give them up we’ll pick them up free. The thing will be to give the kids an opportunity to play around with them a little bit and get a feel for things and see if it is something that interests them.”
They will not be doing repairs for people in the community, but Howe did say if a vehicle is donated that can be repaired and put back on the road, then they will go through it, get it recertified and may sell it to someone that needs it.
Howe said a lot of the members of the church have acreages outside of town, and this would give the kids an opportunity to fix something up, and then take it out and try it, and essentially see first-hand the results of their hard work.
“I’m hoping to have a few more adults get involved, but not only just to hold it to the automotive, but maybe to build a shed or let them (the youth) learn a little bit about wood,” said Howe.
Another reason this is happening is to help give the kids something that keeps them off the streets. Howe said that’s something you hear all the time, but said it’s not only about that, “It’s seeing where there’s maybe an interest.”
Howe said even if someone has a vehicle, or equipment that can’t necessarily be repaired, it could be broken down and sold for scrap, and the funds from that could go to further the initiative. Any and all youth in the community, church members or not, are invited to take part in the initiative. Stop by the Centre, 102 Canal Gardens or call 403-901-0893 to find out more info.