![]() “Our hope,” Garlington said, “is that learning from these pilot programs, we’ll be able to raise additional capital and grow and expand the successful programs.”įirst, Historic Macon soon will be hiring three trades apprentices for a 10-week course that starts June 1. Now, thanks to a $100,000 grant from the Watson-Brown Foundation, Historic Macon will soon test three initiatives that aim to make a difference. And for historic preservation projects, that shortfall is even more pronounced. He cited surveys by the Associated General Contractors of America and the National Association of Home Builders that lamented the lack of skilled workers and the difficulty in hiring them. Tagged: Historic Macon, tools, tool library, trades, preservation, Unionville I tell ’em, “You don’t have to wait for one. “I try to introduce them to the tool library. “People notice me with good-quality tools,” he said. He’s trying to make a small difference in his neighborhood in a way that he can.Īnd in doing so, he hopes he can inspire others to follow suit. ![]() He has a ready smile and friendly nature, and it was clear during a recent visit how much his neighbors like him and appreciate all the work he’s doing.īut Albert isn’t one to toot his own horn (“It’s just being neighborly.”) He was born and raised in Oakland, and he’s a big Raiders fan. (“My house is too small.”)Īnd if you borrow from a friend, “if it breaks down on my shift, it’s my fault.”Īlbert and his wife, Sheridan, moved from Oakland to Macon - where she grew up - in 2003, when she took a teaching job with the Seventh-day Adventist school system. A grant from the Watson-Brown Foundation funded the pilot programs.īefore he started taking advantage of the new program, he had to use “whatever I could find, whenever I could find it.” He had no equipment, and even if he did, he has no place to store tools. The nonprofit also has begun a series of Saturday workshops to equip homeowners with the knowledge to tackle basic projects on their own. Historic Macon Rehabs hired three preservation carpentry apprentices for a 10-week program, training them for entry-level construction jobs. It’s all part of an ambitious initiative to boost the trades presence in Macon. So that option may be coming in the near future. “I’ve only gotten positive feedback.”Ī couple of people have said they wish the program offered a chain saw they could borrow. Judging by responses from those returning tools and comments he’s seen on social media, “People love it,” Purvis said. ![]() The program was able to stretch its buying dollars thanks to a generous discount on tools from Riverside Ace Hardware. We could have spent more money on yard equipment.” ![]() “I definitely expected more wood-working tools to be checked out. They’re either corded or have batteries.) So far, Macon homeowners have signed up for 55 tool loans. ![]()
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