{"id":19969,"date":"2026-03-26T18:43:13","date_gmt":"2026-03-26T18:43:13","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/artsmidwest.org\/?p=19969"},"modified":"2026-03-26T20:09:20","modified_gmt":"2026-03-26T20:09:20","slug":"mens-sheds-iowa-midwest","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/artsmidwest.org\/stories\/mens-sheds-iowa-midwest\/","title":{"rendered":"Men\u2019s Sheds: Retooling Community,\u00a0 \u2018Purpose\u2019\u00a0for Older Iowans"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

Last spring, Harold Dirks (well, his wife) spotted a small poster at their local Cedar Falls Public Library. In the year since, that poster has led him to new friends, skills, and a whole lot of checked boxes on his accomplishments list. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

That poster?\u00a0A\u00a0bulletin for\u00a0the Cedar Valley\u00a0Men\u2019s Shed.<\/p>\n\n\n

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\n \"Seven\n\n
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\n \n\n\n\n<\/g>\n\n\n\n<\/clipPath>\n<\/defs>\n<\/svg> Photo Credit: Cedar Valley Men’s Shed<\/span>\n <\/div>\n <\/div>\n <\/div>\n\n
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\n “We have a rather broad, eclectic group of guys in many ways,” Men’s Shed participant Harold Dirks says. Men range across age, background, religion, and political affiliation.\n <\/span>\n <\/figcaption>\n \n \n <\/figure>\n\n
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Iowa\u2019s\u00a0first\u00a0Men\u2019s\u00a0Shed\u00a0formed\u00a0in\u00a02024.\u00a0It\u2019s\u00a0part of a\u00a0global\u00a0initiative\u00a0starting in\u00a0the\u00a0late 20th century<\/a>\u00a0to bring more craft and community to older men, boosting\u00a0social health and wellness<\/a>.<\/p>\n

Meeting weekly,\u00a0Cedar Valley Men\u2019s Shed<\/a> participants\u2014averaging over a dozen and typically over age 65\u2014connect across town for different projects. Recents include painting at an arts center, building a donation box for a nearby animal humane society, and checking out the local\u00a0makerspace<\/a>.\u00a0Or sometimes,\u00a0they\u2019ll\u00a0just\u00a0link\u00a0up for\u00a0eggs\u00a0and coffee.<\/p>\n

\u201cMen\u2019s Shed now has been an interesting outlet,\u201d says Dirks, 74. \u201cIt\u2019s getting me involved more with the community in general.\u201d<\/p>\n

That\u2019s\u00a0the goal of groups like these, says\u00a0Dr. Melinda Heinz<\/a>:\u00a0community.<\/em>\u00a0The\u00a0assistant professor of gerontology\u2014the study of aging\u2014founded\u00a0and\u00a0facilitates\u00a0the group.\u00a0She studied Men\u2019s Sheds in Ireland on a\u00a0U.S. Fulbright Scholarship<\/a>.<\/p>\n

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\u201cI think we\u00a0are having a moment right now with social health in the U.S.,\u201d Heinz says. \u201cWe need to be thinking about, \u2018How\u00a0are we\u00a0serving\u00a0people who are socially isolated and lonely?\u2019\u201d<\/p>\n\n <\/div>\n <\/div>\n\n\n

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\n \"A\n
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\n \n\n\n\n<\/g>\n\n\n\n<\/clipPath>\n<\/defs>\n<\/svg> Photo Credit: Cedar Valley Men’s Shed<\/span>\n <\/div>\n <\/div>\n <\/div>\n \n Cedar Valley Men’s Shed participants painted planters at Waterloo Center for the Arts.\n <\/figcaption>\n <\/figure>\n
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\n \"Three\n
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\n \n\n\n\n<\/g>\n\n\n\n<\/clipPath>\n<\/defs>\n<\/svg> Photo Credit: Cedar Valley Men’s Shed<\/span>\n <\/div>\n <\/div>\n <\/div>\n \n Armed with blueprints, coffee, and a comfy living room, Cedar Valley Men’s Shed participants meet at various locations around the area each week.\n <\/figcaption>\n <\/figure>\n
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\n \"A\n
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\n \n\n\n\n<\/g>\n\n\n\n<\/clipPath>\n<\/defs>\n<\/svg> Photo Credit: Cedar Valley Men’s Shed<\/span>\n <\/div>\n <\/div>\n <\/div>\n \n “The guys” built these community garden beds, says Cedar Valley Men’s Shed founder Dr. Melinda Heinz.\n <\/figcaption>\n <\/figure>\n
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\n \"Two\n
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\n \n\n\n\n<\/g>\n\n\n\n<\/clipPath>\n<\/defs>\n<\/svg> Photo Credit: Cedar Valley Men’s Shed<\/span>\n <\/div>\n <\/div>\n <\/div>\n \n Participants like Harold Dirks find that their participation in community activities has increased, thanks to the group.\n <\/figcaption>\n <\/figure>\n <\/div>\n\n
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