Saturdays

Men’s Shed

Saturdays 10:00 am

Visit us for coffee, conversation and projects.

The Ritchie Community League Board hosts a Men’s Shed at the community hall. We gather weekly over coffee to share stories, bounce around ideas for community projects that need doing, and build or fix something!

QUESTIONS? Contact mensshedritchie@gmail.com

Dan Desnoyers: 780-920-4587

Doug Hartman: 780-919-3696

WHAT IS A MEN’S SHED?

Men’s Sheds started in Australia over 30 years ago when a few retired guys got together to restore furniture and fix lawn mowers. There are now thousands of Sheds across the world, including over 10 in the Edmonton area. Each one is unique in that the men decide what they want to do. Many start as informal coffee gatherings and grow into collaborating on projects for companionship, training, teaching, mentoring, and to improve their community.

Find us on Facebook @MensShedsEdmonton


WHY A RITCHIE SHED?

In Ritchie, there have been few opportunities for guys to gather together and share stories. Our Shedders do that and also put their combined experience to good use, helping to maintain and improve our community facilities. 

Our Shed is led by two community members, Dan and Doug, who have been with our Shed since the beginning. As a very experienced certified carpenter, Dan regularly brings his youthful community insights, professional guidance, job safety and quality control skills to our Shed. A retired banker, Doug loves coffee chats and herding the guys to dive into hands-on projects. Each week is different.

Please feel free to contact either one of them at their numbers above.

MEN’S SHEDS BENEFITS THEIR MEMBERS: 

  • By having fun! They enjoy activities they have always loved or discover new ones.

  • By making friends. 

  • By getting involved in their community. 

  • By having a chance to share their own knowledge or skills, and learn from others. 

  • By being in a place where they can be themselves.

  • By experiencing support that can enhance mental health.

  • By reducing isolation. 

ACCOMPLISHMENTS TO DATE 

Since we began in April 2023, these have been some of our activities.

  • Held weekly Saturday Shedder meetings 

  • Assembled 3 insulated dog sheds for Second Chance Animal Rescue Society

  • Co-hosted evening presentations to the community

  • Learned how to play pickleball

  • Refurbished children’s games

  • Performed numerous maintenance, building and repair projects for the Ritchie Community League hall, inside and outside

  • Modified space in the hall to become the home of our Ritchie Men’s Shed

  • Partnering to assist with the West Ritchie Community Garden

Free Yoga

Saturdays 9 am - 10am

Hatha Yoga Flow

Join Stephanie for a Morning Sun Salutation Hatha Yoga Flow!

Saturday morning from 9 AM to 10 AM, we’ll practice connecting with our bodies and breath. In the hustle and bustle of daily life, we often forget to take care of ourselves. These classes will offer you a chance to reconnect, strengthen your body, and flow with intention.

RAD Self-defence

the MONTHLY RAD PROGRAM IS FINISHED FOR 2024. Thanks for a great year!

This is a two-day course that runs on a Saturday and Sunday, from 9 am - 4:30 pm.

Visit RAD homepage for more informatio

Who is delivering the courses?

RAD is an international non-profit organization that offers affordable and practical self-defence for women ages 12+. This course is for all abilities and available to those who have already taken RAD (free of charge).
The Edmonton chapter coordinators is collaborating with the Ritchie Community League and City of Edmonton to ensure an affordable and impactful course.

The RAD coordinators volunteer their time to screen and vet volunteer instructors. Volunteers are Edmonton Police Service civilian staff and officers and other front line emergency responders.

What to Expect

Saturday

  • The first part of the course is to build understanding and awareness of personal safety and knowledge in what to look for.

Sunday

  • The second part of the course is teaching skills, fit-to-participant that will get themselves out of a harmful situation.

  • The skill building part of the course is tailored to the individual meaning there are multiple tools available and can accommodate most mobility issues.

  • There is also an optional scenario part of the course where skills are practiced in meaningful practice. The scenarios teach women how to get passed the panic state of mind and into action.

  • There are always female instructors in each course. Male volunteers in the scenarios wear a fully padded suit so you can unleash your full potential.

Ages and Requirements

  • For ages 12-15 year olds, a participating guardian must also be enrolled in the course.

    (This is because of the content being introduced.)

  • For ages 16-18 year olds, participation requires guardian approval but the guardian does not need to enroll

  • Suitable for different ages and abilities

Cost: $41.50

Registration:

Sign up to get a notification when the registration is open. For Ritchie members, a minimal number of spots be reserved per month and then released a week prior to the course start date.

Visit RAD homepage for more information or email infor@radedmonton.ca