Simple Woodworking Projects Help Disabled Man

Anyone can work with wood. Not everyone can be an expert, but there is some woodwork that can be done by everybody, for their own satisfaction and in service of others. One man in Covington, Washington, does simple woodworking projects which have benefited him greatly. This developmentally disabled man’s love for working with wood has helped him to function better and more independently.

Mike Strong is a 54 year-old blind and mentally disabled man from Covington, Washington. He has a limited ability to speak and receives support from a group that provides help to people living with disabilities called Total Living Concept (TLC), based in Kent, Washington. His late father was a carpenter and this gave him a love of wood. He used to handle wood scraps from his father’s workshop and perform easy woodworking tasks such as gluing wood together. Unable to see, he developed a love for the smell of wood.

Before becoming involved with Total Living Concept, Strong was not doing so well. He was doing work tasks that he did not enjoy and could barely tolerate. He would get angry and verbalize loudly and often. He was not happy and did not interact well with other people.

However, since getting involved with TLC, Strong has changed because of his work with wood. He now attends a Saturday morning gathering of retired woodworkers where he takes part in small woodworking projects. He is welcomed by the group, which works on small projects and talks about woodworking. One of his favorite specialty woods is Alaska Yellow Cedar because of its pleasant aroma. He also has a volunteer job dusting church pews which he finds satisfying because of its connection to wood. These experiences and working with TLC have made Mike better at expressing his emotions and working efficiently. He now has his own condominium and travels by private car and public transportation.

Mike Strong’s lifelong love of woodworking is helping him overcome his disability. I think we can all find benefit from easy woodworking projects.

Two years after the original publishing of this article, Total Living Concept still provides services to adults with developmental disabilities. This service does not only focus on woodworking, but the care and support given to each individual is tailor made to the person's needs and circumstances.

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