The Gathering Room at Indigenous Services at Olds College of Agriculture & Technology has a new centerpiece, thanks to the skilled hands of the Men’s Shed of Olds and a vision for community balance.
The project began last summer, when the Indigenous Service team identified the need for a larger table in the Gathering Room. The team talked to Brent Collins of Mountainview Moccasin House about the possibility of him constructing a larger table top. Collins, who served as the College’s first Indigenous Coordinator, saw an opportunity to support Indigenous students at Olds College and use his love of woodworking.
Collins brought the vision to the Men’s Shed of Olds, an organization dedicated to promoting social connection and reducing isolation by bringing men together to build projects for the community. Operating out of a local barn on Tuesdays and Thursdays, the Men’s Shed members took on the project as a true labour of love. While the College provided the supplies, the organization donated 100 per cent of the labour.
The construction was a technical feat. Using a combination of oak and MDF (fiber board), the team layered the materials to create a sturdy, beautiful finish — a unique challenge that tested even these seasoned builders as bending oak into a circular form is no easy task.
However, it is the details embedded within the table top that make this peace so unique and special. The design features authentic arrowheads found along the Little Red Deer River near Bowden, Alta. At this same location, a larger spear head was found and dated to be thousands of years old by anthropologists from the University of Alberta.
Before the arrowheads were set into the table, the decision to include them was officially blessed by three Elders. The arrowheads can be felt through the acrylic layer and were placed in such a way that students can touch them and connect to thousands of years of knowledge.
The table, titled "Aiming for Balance", serves as a permanent reminder of the harmony and equilibrium the teachings of the Medicine Wheel provides. The project also served as a bridge between cultures. In a powerful moment of unity, the men participated in a smudge — a first-time experience for many in the group.
Although Collins led the project, he emphasizes that it was a collective achievement. The helping hands on this project includes Les Krause, Bob Bruan, Leo Quaife, Rick Cowling, Terry Letourneau, Mike Vine, Lynn McDonald, Dave Harder and Ed Van de Pypekamp.
Olds College extends its deepest gratitude to the Men’s Shed team for their craftsmanship and spirit.