The Welcome Center is collaborating with the Northfield Community Action Center over the next few weeks to offer carpentry classes in Spanish. The project's purpose is to provide an opportunity for Spanish-speaking community residents to learn basic carpentry and house construction skills, useful both in the upkeep of their own homes and as a potential job skill. As dreams go, it could also be the beginning of a future self-built housing project, where the skills learned translate into sweat equity for those wishing to support one another in home ownership.But for now, the focus is on learning how "16 inches on center" lays out and how to frame in a window or door according to code. Participants will also learn thebasics of roofing and siding, become informed about new energy-efficient alternatives, and walk away with some new skills. Volunteer instructors bring qualified experience: Bill Sartor has supervised the construction of nine Habitat for Humanity homes; Omar Herrejon works as a roofer; Greg Caron has many years of hands-on experience to share...This effort, like most we do, seeks to strengthen the community connection as well, bringing people together. Already some of the participants have offered their assistance with the construction of this summer's Habitat for Humanity house...an opportunity to learn while they also contribute to a community need.
While this is a first effort, we do not see it as the last. We continue to seek volunteer instructors and learning opportunities so that people may develop their skills further. It would be great if it could open the way for some to join the carpentry training at South Central or find their way into a union apprenticeship. But for now, we see it as part of "Minnesota inculturation". Coming from lands where construction commonly uses other materials, learning to drive nails into studs is a new and valuable lesson.
Our thanks goes out to the Northfield CAC's Newcomer Project, the Blue Cross and Blue Shield of MN Foundation, and the Foldcraft Foundation for their generous support of the project and our program. We couldn't do it without them.
For more information, please contact us at the Welcome Center, 333-5036. Bob Kell--Welcome Center Director
Welcome Center
24 W. Division St., Ste B
Faribault, MN 55021
507-333-5036
FAX 507-333-5037
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