Samford Area
Mens Shed

Another busy month at the shed and within the community !

Member Ron Rumble arranged a visit to the Brisbane Motor Museum on Thursday, 8 August, with 10 shedders and a couple of guests in attendance to see the Ford & Holden exhibition, and to later enjoy lunch at the Irish Pub at Keperra.  Nostalgia was in abundance at this event, along with a number of spirited Ford vs Holden discussions!!  It was a great outing and all present voted heartily for repeats into the future. Thanks go to Ron for organising this even.

Each month, we have a dinner and speaker night, and this month we had not one but two shed members, 'Diggers' and 'Podge' who challenged our brain cells with TV theme trivia. A great night was had by all, with the customary barbeque and ice cream. Well done to the Entertainment Committee who put these evenings on for us and well done also to Podge & Diggers for their refreshing approach to trivia.  In the lead up to this fun event, to the amusement and applause of all, Diggers entertained members each Tuesday morning at our weekly 'Talkfest' with a teasing medley of poetry, song and dance (well, I think he may have danced a little ).  

Over the past 3 months or so, member Garry Fielding has been working tirelessly on creating a wonderful Market Trolley for Willmore Kindy.  In this endeavour, he was ably assisted by toymaker and recent 'Shedder of the Month' Geoff Mallett who fashioned the amazing cart wheels.  On completion, Garry and Fraser Murcott delivered it to the Kindy, where it was very enthusiastically received.  It truly is a wonderful piece of work and Garry and Geoff's pride and pleasure in contributing this to the local community is shared by all members.                                    

Recently, 25 or so 'Woodies' and members of other shed interest groups gathered at the Samford Hotel for a 'Woodies Pub Lunch'.  It was a very enjoyable occasion and no doubt there'll be an encore not too far in the future.   

Each Tuesday, members gather at the shed for what we term a 'TalkFest'  - an hourly meeting in which all matters large and small are tabled to keep the men informed.  Matters raised include welfare of members, finances, projects, upcoming events and obligations.  At each meeting (usually), a short address (Members Moment) is given by a member on background, interests etc.  These talks are always well received by members, especially as many recall humorous past experiences.  On the 24th of September however, the talk was of a more cautionary/advisory nature.  

Snake activity is increasing with the warm weather so our SAMS member Les Bateman offered a comprehensive outline of do's and don'ts associated with these creatures.

Les has been a member of SAMS for approximately 9 years. He was a former resident of Samford for 25 years and then in 2017, his family moved to Redcliffe. While living at Samford he was a member of the Samford Rural Fire Brigade for 20 years, where he gained his interest in snakes. He has often given his snake talk to members of the Fire Services, QPS , QAS and SES prior to summer.

Several prospective members attended the TalkFest as guests and I'm sure enjoyed Les' talk and the fellowship on display at the shed. 

Prospective members are always welcome to attend the Talkfests, meet the members and see what activities are available as members.  Interested guests should arrive early to introduce themselves prior to the meeting.  

2024

The Village Pump 20/9/2024 by SDPPA - John

The Village Pump 20/9/2024 by SDPPA - Mike

The Village Pump 06/9/2024 by SDPPA – George

The Village Pump 23/8/2024 by SDPPA - Garry

The Village Pump 9/8/2024 by SDPPA- Ron

The Village Pump 26/7/2024 by SDPPA - Fraser

The Village Pump 12/7/2024 by SDPPA - Jeff

The Village Pump 28/06/24 by SDPPA - John

The Village Pump 14/06/24 by SDPPA - Bevan

The Village Pump 31/05/24 by SDPPA - Graham

The Village Pump 17/05/24 by SDPPA - Diggers

The Village Pump 3/05/24 by SDPPA - Ken

The Village Pump 19/04/24 by SDPPA - Ron

The Village Pump 05/04/24 by SDPPA - Brian

The Village Pump 22/03/24 by SDPPA - Rob

The Village Pump 08/03/24 by SDPPA - Jim

The Village Pump 23/02/24 by SDPPA - Mort

The Village Pump 09/02/24 by SDPPA - Robert

The Men's Shed has many woodwork, steelwork and art articles for sale.  Whether they be utilitarian or aesthetic, we may have something that's just right for you.  

Also... Christmas is rapidly approaching and our members are hard at work making decorations and toys to delight children and adults alike! !

And if we don't have exactly what you need/want on hand, there's a group of very experienced craftsmen available who will no doubt be able to custom make that special item.

In addition, we regularly get enquiries and commissions from local residents for the restoration of much loved furniture, and even repair/refurbishment of large steel items such as trailers.

In 2022 a company called Simply Stories approached our SHED to do a short video on the Men Shed and what we do. 

This is the result and we hope it inspires all men to get out and get to know others in their community.

Click on this link to view the video.    Simply Stories

Men’s Sheds have long been recognised for their demonstrated success in contributing to improvements in male health and wellness by reducing social isolation and increasing social engagement and connectedness. Maintaining strong social connections is vital for good mental health; so isolation and loneliness are serious problems. Sheds provide men with a safe, male-friendly environment for men to come together and have a meaningful purpose, to share experiences and sometimes share their problems.

(Digby and Robert matching wits)

Volunteering at the BBQ at Bunnings Keperra is a lot of fun and the money raised supports the various Shed activities. Over the years we have developed a good relationship with Bunnings and we look forward to it continuing. A big thanks goes out to all members who help out on the two or three days which are scheduled each year and especially to our hardworking co-ordinator John Dears who makes each event run smoothly.

SAMS is happy to pitch in and help our community when the opportunity arises. For several years now SAMS members have assisted the Samford Riding for the Disabled by bagging horse manure which is then sold to raise funds. The team is aptly referred to as the 'Poo Patrol'.

SAMS history covering the period 2011 - 2015 is now in the "Members" section. Dennis Arnold has done a wonderful job of compiling information about our formative years and it makes for very interesting reading.