John Coffelt, Editor

Local woodworker Bobby Wood recently brought a bird house project to help give seniors there a chance to make something with their hands.

Wood said he contacted Senior Center Director Diane Jernigan with an idea for the project.

“I’ve been doing woodworking all my life, Wood said. “My dad built houses.”

 Manchester Building Supply donated the material and Wood cut, drilled and got everything ready to build.

“I thought it would be a good project. Everybody likes to have a martin house they can put out and keep mosquitoes down,” he said.

Jernigan said the visitors were very interested in the project.

“I knew they would be, she said. “We feed the birds, and they feed birds and watch them at home. It’s turned out really positive.”

Jernigan called the project good therapy. Some of the participants have had debilitating medical conditions and working with their hands helps.

“They may not be able to saw and do all the things to make something like that, but he simplified it and now they can take this home and watch birds build a nest,” Jernigan said.

John has been with the Manchester Times since May 2011. John has won Tennessee Press Association awards for Best News Photo and placed in numerous other categories. John is a 1994 graduate of Tullahoma High School, a graduate of Motlow State Community College and earned a Bachelor of Arts in English from Middle Tennessee State University. He lives in Tullahoma, enjoys painting, dancing and exploring the outdoors.