PORT TOWNSEND — Habitat for Humanity of East Jefferson County now can distribute free items from a safe and weather-resistant location, after Port Townsend high school students built a shed for that purpose.
The wooden structure — which is 12 feet wide, 7 feet high and 5 feet deep — was delivered to Habitat’s location at 2001 Sims Way on Friday morning.
It was constructed from plans supplied by Habitat and with donated lumber, and took 24 young people about a month to build, said Jim Guthrie, high school carpentry instructor.
Siding will be added later, said Habitat Director Jamie Maciejewski.
Habitat collects many items it cannot sell, and these items are given away.
Right now, the giveaway items are within the store.
The shed will be used to protect those items from the elements, and those in need of these things will be able to collect them day or night.
Habitat Store Manager Vicki Lucas called the construction project “a win-win partnership. Our donors give us items, our customers reuse the items, the money goes toward building houses and we keep things out of the landfill.
“When we have the young people of the community participating with us, it is very special.”
Guthrie said the project was fairly straightforward, although the students had to modify the plans slightly in order to accommodate the dimensions of the donated materials.
The high school shop class has provided volunteer carpentry labor for a variety of community projects, which are designed to give the students work experience, Guthrie said.
Maciejewski said the shed could be used in the next week or so, even before the siding is installed.
She said that no door would be installed or security measures taken “until we see how it works.”
For more information or to donate or volunteer, visit www.habitatejc.org or phone 360-379-2827.
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Jefferson County Reporter Charlie Bermant can be reached at 360-385-2335 or charlie.bemant@ peninsuladailynews.com.
