Shedder in Focus

Meet Jan Fennema. Jan grew up with dyslexia at a time when this learning disorder was not yet understood. His teachers and classmates questioned his intelligence and left him feeling incapable and unworthy, feelings that became deeply ingrained into adulthood. He spent his days working with his hands, convinced he didn’t belong in an intellectual world. When an unexpected event left him relying on disability assistance, he fell into a deep depression and felt he had nowhere to turn, until he discovered the Fraser Lake Men’s Shed.

 “The day I walked into that Men’s Shed, my life changed forever,” says Jan. Every member of Fraser Lake Men’s Shed is recognized for his talents. “We have somebody that’s an electrician, we have somebody that’s a teacher, you name it, we have it. And we all work together to help our community. We’ve built a trophy cabinet for the Minor Hockey League, we do small engine repair, we’ll fix lamps, and it’s all volunteer work.”

Jan proudly recalls the day Northern Health was able to call the Fraser Lake Men’s Shed on behalf of someone who needed a ramp built. He told us that when they get calls like that, the answer is always yes.  “When you feel good about yourself and you focus on what you can do as a group to help the community and each other, your mental health improves,” he says. 

Today, Jan sits on multiple Boards in his community and beyond, including the Fraser Lake and Area Men’s Sheds Board and the Men’s Shed Association of BC Board. “If you had told me five years ago that I’d be on the Board, I would have told you that’s not me. But people believed in me and now I know I can do it.”

Jan’s story is a reminder that anyone can experience feelings of isolation or mental health challenges. It’s also a testament to the inherent value of a Men’s Shed.