Petoskey High School Building Trades students are building a garden shed that will be auctioned off at two local events with proceeds supporting domestic abuse survivors and their children at the Safe Home. Gail Kloss, WRCNM executive director is pictured with a few of the students involved in the project (from left) Kloss, Conner Smith, Peter Fila, Ally Waldron and Katie Coveyou.

Instructor Larry Liebler’s Building Trades class at Petoskey High School is building a garden shed to be auctioned for charity at two upcoming local events.

The shed will be on display and taking closed bids at the Home Builders Association of Northern Michigan’s Home Show held at North Central Michigan College March 10-11. The second stop will be at the Women’s Resource Center of Northern Michigan’s (WRCNM) FUNdraiser at The Inn at Bay Harbor’s Sagamore Room on March 15. The highest bidder will win the shed; bidding is expected to open at $400. Funds raised from the shed will help support domestic abuse survivors and their children seeking services at the WRCNM’s Safe Home.

Over the years, Liebler and students in his Building Trades class have held can drives for the Safe Home. Donating the shed proceeds seemed like a great way for students to work on a project, provide a quality shed and also provide support for an ongoing local, critical need.
“Larry has shown ongoing support of the WRCNM and Safe Home over the years and is also a contributor to the 100 Men Campaign which invites men to be part of the solution in ending violence against women,” said Gail Kloss, WRCNM executive director. “He and his students are examples of what one person, or a group of people can do to help make a positive difference in their community.”

The finished shed will measure 4’x6’, and features seven foot walls built from donated six-panel doors, a full-sized front door and two skylights. All materials used to build the garden shed have been donated or repurposed.

The 2017 Home Builders Association of Northern Michigan’s Home Show takes place at North Central Michigan College in Petoskey Friday, March 10 and Saturday, March 11.

The WRCNM FUNdraiser will be held 5:30-9:00 p.m., Wednesday, March 15 at The Inn at Bay Harbor’s Sagamore Room; tickets to the FUNdraiser are $10 each or $15 at the door with appetizers, silent and live auctions and a cash bar. For more information call the WRCNM main office at (231) 347-0067.