More than a Garden Shed: Service and Home and Abroad

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If you ask them, Tony and Jan Zanon will tell you they’re just ordinary people. That may be true, if ordinary people travel to Mexico for mission-based building projects, or organize donations and a crew to make a difference here at home.

Tony and Jan are society members here at The Cridge Centre, who happened to read about The Cridge Brain Injury food programs in a recent edition of The Messenger. Seeing that the community garden needed a shed, they started making connections.

In Jan’s words, “We are from Colwood Pentecostal Church. The church paid for the materials for the shed. The labour was provided by members of the Mexico Mission Trip team heading out Nov/13 to build a house in Mexico for a needy family . . . we have been building sheds as a fundraiser for the trip. We wanted to give to our community as well when we heard of the garden program you have.”

Their team includes builders, carpenters, contractors, and just a few “ordinary” good people who are willing to do hard work. Over the course of a weekend, they built a firm foundation for the shed (no easy task on our uneven land), then made the shed tall, strong and secure.

Once the building was complete, Greg Goldberg, co-ordinator of The Cridge Brain Injury Services’ ‘Blue Sheet Club’ – a supportive environment where survivors of brain injuries learn, grow, and share with each other – and two club members finished the shed with a good coat of paint. As Greg reported afterwards, “The shed was completed today with great and inspirational help from Garratte and Mark. My assistants and I went out for some popsicles to celebrate. Thanks for giving us the opportunity to be productive-such an important gift during rehabilitation.”

Thanks to Jan and Tony Zanon for their leadership of this project. Thanks to everyone who showed up and pounded nails, cut wood, secured shingles, and got the job done. The difference you all made is a contribution far beyond the garden shed. God bless you as you bless the people around you.

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