Extreme Toolshed Makeover
Last summer, one of the volunteers who joined a weekday Work Day resonated with Extreme Community Makeover’s mission and shared about an opportunity to partner with his family foundation on a tangible project. This invitation started the fulfillment of a dream many years in the making: to update the toolshed by giving it a makeover. The toolshed holds not only the tools for completing projects, but also all the supplies for Art is in the Air, Supper Club and Spring Kickoff events and the command center, along with housing the t-shirts. It is a highly used and well loved space.
Most of the tools used for Work Days have been well loved and worn out, since many of them have been around since the early years starting in 2008. After thousands of house projects completed and alleys cleaned, tools were ready to be replaced. Executive Director Angela said "oftentimes, volunteers would get frustrated when a tool they were using would break. Or at the end of the day, the Projects Team would get frustrated when all the rakes would fall down in the toolshed since the tines on the end were starting to break off and they wouldn't stay in place." The tools needed an upgrade to continue the hard work that ECM volunteers complete on Work Days. A grant from The Viking Foundation funded that part of the project.
The tools (brooms, dust pans, loppers, metal rakes, plastic rakes, and shovels) weren’t the only things that needed an update. The lawnmowers and weed eaters were worn down and often wouldn’t start. Members of the Projects and Supplies Team did research into the best brand of tools to invest in, and discovered Ego electric tools. Most of the power tools were purchased with the grant, while Mile High Ace donated the lawnmower as a way for them to get involved in the project as well. The plan to purchase electric tools inspired the expansion of the project into the world of solar power. A solar panel from Renogy was purchased with the grant dollars and installed by Steve K and Steve W from the Projects Team, along with the help of a family friend, Theo. With several days of work on the shed, it became completely solar powered with the ability to charge the six batteries needed to run the electric equipment.
Extreme Community Makeover gives volunteers six standard tools for every project: brooms, dust pans, loppers, metal rakes, plastic rakes, and shovels. Now, these tools are all in working condition, without bent rake tines or broken handled brooms. The new electric tools that were added include:
Lawnmower: Used for cutting lawns to a uniform size. It has a detachable bag and adjustable heights, perfect for tackling yards that have not been touched all season.
Weed eater: Used for cleaning up the edges of lawns and cutting weeds that can’t be pulled.
Leaf blower: Used for the final details, when the broom isn’t able to get the smallest pieces.
Pole Saw: Used for trimming low hanging branches on trees.
Brush cutter: Used for tackling the big projects and weeds that are too strong for the weed eater.
