'Everybody needs a place': Elgin Area Men's Shed helps retirees connect, give back to the community

As he carefully laid the pieces of wood together and prepared to drill some guide holes, Pat Huckeby, a relative newcomer to woodworking, had the support of some old hands behind him.

Gary Anliker and Harold Burt helped him line up the pieces for a squirrel picnic table they were building and then watched as Huckeby carefully placed the drill bit in just the right spot.

Click. Nothing.

That's when the three retirees erupted with laughter, seeing that none of them had noticed there was no battery in the drill.

The scene summed up perfectly what the Elgin Area Men's Shed is all about - older guys being active, working together and having some laughs along the way.

"Everybody needs a place," Anliker said. "When men retire, they lose a lot of their circle of friends. Our wives are some of the best promoters of the Men's Shed, wanting to get their retired husbands out of the house."

The Elgin chapter was formed three years ago and is based on an international movement that was started in Australia. The ultimate goal is to help men connect with each other and build friendships, which in turn helps their overall health and well-being.

The group, primarily made up of men over 50 who want to do hands-on volunteer projects, has gone from meeting in the basement of a local business to having a workspace of their own at 1023 St. Charles St. in Elgin.

"The Elgin Area Men's Shed has come a long way in three years, and this location is a big part of that," said member Tim Solarz.

The space isn't a literal shed - it's a good-sized garage and attached office they've stocked with a variety of donated and purchased tools and materials. The space is donated to them rent-free; they just help out with a portion of the utilities.

There they work on community projects, drink coffee and just shoot the breeze. The members decide what to work on based on contacts they have in the community. They also take trips to local events like car shows and ballgames or get together for lunch or breakfast. Sometimes the cards get broken out for spirited games of cribbage.

After retiring, Steve Knight of Elgin said he found himself in the same situation as many other men his age after they leave the workforce.

"I was spending too much time sitting on my butt and doing nothing," he said. "And I gained 30 pounds in the process."

Knight, one of the group's founding members, said the mission of Men's Shed resonated with him.

"I like the idea of what it does and what's it's doing for men's health and socialization," he said. "And I have made more friends with this thing than I ever thought I'd have in my entire life."

The group has completed a number of community projects over the last couple of years, including repair work on the homes of some elderly residents in the area, building planters, a tool shed and compost bins for a community garden, and repairing and donating bicycles.

The group is gearing up for an Earth Day event put on by the Elgin Parks and Recreation Department at Hawthorne Hills Nature Center on April 16. Last week they were making birdhouse kits with reclaimed lumber that they'll help kids build during a pair of workshops. The event will also be an opportunity for them to recruit some new members.

Knight said their roster of active, dues-paying members stands at about 10, with a few others who come by from time to time. Annual dues are $60.

They also plan to set up a table at the Kane County Flea Market and the Elgin Farmer's Market so they can pass out information and show off some of the projects they do for fun, like squirrel picnic tables and bird and bat houses.

"You need some bait to catch a mouse," Anliker said of the pieces they'll bring out. As a nonprofit, they don't sell their works, but they can be had for a suggested donation.

Mostly they just want to get the word out that retirement doesn't have to be a lonely time.

"People who are active and engaged are physically and mentally healthier than people that are sitting in a recliner in front of a TV," Anliker said.

"And their marriages last longer."

For details on the group, visit elginareamensshed.org or facebook.com/ElginAreaMensShed.IL.