[Villages Kahuna]

I'm no a woodworker nor a member of TV Woodworking Shop. But I did visit there a couple of months back and will briefly relate the story of my visit.

I was greeted by a fellow in the lobby when I walked in. He explained that one had to take a safety course before being able to use the equipment. I could see a group of wood carvers meeting in a meeting room adjacent to the lobby while I was there. The large glass windows overlooking the shop gave a view of a clean, well-equipped shop. But the story my host related of how the shop "happened" was even more interesting.

My host explained that several years ago the woodworkers around TV would run from one house to another where individuals had equipment in their garages to complete their projects. One day over a beer a group discussed meeting with TV management to propose the construction of a wood shop as an amenity. They put together a proposal and finally got a meeting with "da man".

After making their pitch the fellow they met with told them he'd think about their proposal and get back to them. On leaving they all thought that would be the last they heard on the subject.

But lo and behold, a couple of weeks later they we summoned back for a follow-up meeting. At that meeting the fellow they met with said he liked their proposal, but there was a problem. The group's enthusiasm rose and fell in an instant. Until they heard the "problem", that is.

The Villages rep explained that a wood shop would make a perfect amenity. But the problem was that he and his staff thought the shop that they had proposed was only about half as big as it should be. So, TV manager went on, they said they intended to accept the group's proposal, but they would build the shop and equipment about twice the size that they had proposed.

There was a catch. TV explained they would build the building, equip it with all the equipment that the group proposed, but once completed TV was "done". That is the woodworking group would have to form a club, charge dues or fees, run fund-raisers, or whatever, to fund operating expenses, equipment repair and replacement, insurance, etc. The group making the proposal gladly accepted the deal.

And so it is. The Villages Woodworking Shop appears to be up and running and doing quite well. All as the result of a group of residents who simply had the guts to ask.