3 ((reopen)) "mark: the woodshop at st.

Michaels is celebrating a big 50th anniversary this year of 2017, i'm delighted to welcome to the program the board director james smith as well as wilberto martinez who is a student at the wood shop, great to have you both here.

James and wilberto: thanks for having us.mark: james, this is in some ways a hidden treasure in rochester, tell us about the history of the woodshop and how it's endured and thrived over the last 50 years.james: well sister pat flynn of the sisters of mercy started the woodshop in 1967, when the city was in state of civil unrest, and she did it to get inner city teens together to learn how to get along and not fight amongst each other and then it just blossomed into something big where she started getting carpenters from kodak companies to help with the kids and they started training in wood working.mark: we se evidence of some of that work in front of us obviously from today's students, how many students do you have today and what type of work are they doing?james: today we have about twenty students on rotation and we do wood working, framing, a little electrical, and a life in character skills, which is the main focus of this mission.

Mark: wilberto obviously you're one of those students, talk about getting involved with st.

Michaels and what kind of difference it's made in your life.wilbberto: i learned electrical wiring when i helped deacon dave kepler do the light at the woodshop, and i also learned how to face my fears because i was one of those kids who was shy, but i saw as we started working with wood products i started getting comfortable talking to people.mark: and how do you feel now, when you think about what you've learned and how it's, made a difference in your life, you say in the future you want to do what?

Wilberto: i want to do carpentry and a little construction.mark: and you say you came out of your shell a little bit.wilberto: yeah!

Mark: well that's great, any of this work in front of us yours?wilberto: yeah!

Here we got the cheese board cutter, and we got the wine rack.mark: it feels good to look at this stuff and know that we're showing it to other people, a good sense of accomplishment.

Our time is short but i do want to mention, james we've got a huge 50th anniversary coming up, tell us all about it.

James: we do, we have a 50th anniversary coming up, it's may 13th at 691 st.

Paul which is the woodshop, we'll have demonstrations, we'll have the board members and other members coming in to speak, letting people know what's going on with the work shop, the sisters mercy will be there because we're kicking off a sister pat flynn legacy fund, which we are raising enough money to keep the woodshop going for the future.

Mark: and these pieces, can people buy them?james: oh yes, we have sales, different craft sales at different times and all over the city and also you can contact us on our website at saintmichaelswoodsho p.ooggand you can view products and you can contact us to buy or make products for you.mark: what a terrific program, i want to thank you both for coming in, keep up the good work.wilberto: thank you.mark: really excited about what you've been able to accomplish, you heard that website the big 50th anniversary this year, saintmichaelswoodsho p.ooggthey've also got an active facebook page that information and more on our website at rochesterfirst.com"