A woodworking project at Bethel Home becomes a blueprint for belonging.
At first glance, it may have seemed like just another after-school activity—a small group of Oshkosh North students walking over to Bethel Home, ready to spend a few hours sanding and assembling wood. But from the very first meeting, it was clear this was something more. This wasn’t just a woodworking project. It was an invitation—for young hands and seasoned hearts to meet across the table and create something lasting.
Hosted on the Bethel Home grounds; the workshop buzzed with quiet concentration and occasional bursts of laughter. The wood was precut, the tools simple, and the risk minimal—but the reward? Immeasurable. Residents from Bethel Home, Eden Meadows, and Gabriel’s Villa gathered with students not only to build but to bond.
For some residents, this project awakened old memories—the scent of freshly sanded wood pulling them back to family garages, summer cabins, or school shop classes of decades past. One resident gently guided a student’s hand, explaining how to sand “with the grain” and chuckling as they both adjusted their safety masks for the outdoor sanding step.
And something beautiful happened in those moments: skills that had been tucked away quietly surfaced again. Confidence returned. Pride flickered in their eyes. There’s a unique kind of joy in realizing you still have something to offer—especially when it’s met with eagerness, curiosity, and respect.
The students returned for additional sessions with the same energy and openness. Over time, strangers became partners. Participants didn’t just walk away with a finished project—they left with a shared sense of accomplishment and deeper understanding of one another. Generational lines blurred, and what remained was the simple, sacred act of doing something together.
This project was a success not just because of what was built, but because of what was shared. Thank you to Max Garvey from Oshkosh North for your leadership, the residents and life enrichment team for your willingness to say yes, and the transport team for helping us bridge the distance—literally and figuratively.
In the end, we didn’t just sand down wood. We softened the edges between generations. And we’re already looking forward to what we’ll build next.
