Tradesmen building towards dream at Rose Cherry's Home for Kids

Cory Mitchell, a first-year apprentice from Mount Albert. Click the image for bigger.

It's a beautiful spring day in the forests up near Milton but Cory Mitchell, a mason from Mount Albert, isn't stopping to enjoy the weather. He's surrounded by dozens of other likeminded apprentices, volunteering to help put together a project that will be, when completed, a one-of-a-kind service for children with life-limiting or life-threatening illnesses in Ontario. They're all working at a variety of tasks, from bricklaying to carpentry to drywalling. Mitchell himself is working on the installation of the limestone sign, an impressively detailed logo that will instantly inform people that this is the Rose Cherry's Home for Kids.

The home, named after Don Cherry's late wife Rose, will open its doors later in 2004. The idea is to establish a special place where chronically ill children can receive refuge and care. It aims to take some of the load off for parents who normally have to spend long stressful hours caring for their ill children. At the Rose Cherry Home, the hope is that these children and their families will be able to live in a more comfortable, natural environment.

Tim Norris, tradesmen and partner with apprenticesearch.com in the Ontario Pro Challenge Series. Click for bigger.

There's much to do before the doors can open, however. An estimated 150+ journeymen and apprentices have worked on the site since its start in November last year. They've come a long way, especially considering the volunteer nature of most of the work. These apprentices aren't doing this for money. Brick-Mason Foreman Tim Norris, who's partnered with apprenticesearch.com for his rookie career in the Ontario Pro Challenge Series racing events, believes in the project. "Children with terminal illnesses can spend time with their families in a nice area," he says, "instead of staying in a hospital."

Most of the apprentices working on the site are just starting out. Mitchell is a first-year apprentice who has been working at the Rose Cherry Home site for about a month. He's found the experience to be a good one. "You're constantly learning new things - it's fun," he says.

"It's great to see young people getting involved in apprenticeship," says Norris, who himself began as a Marine Small Engine Mechanic in 1990. He now serves as an instructor at The Ontario Masonry Training Centre (OMTC). All four of the instructors at the OMTC have had an opportunity to work on the project. "A lot of people don't realize how fun and rewarding apprenticeships can be."

John Keir, a student at Our Lady of Mount Carmel Secondary School in Mississauga, is one of the youngest workers on site today, having come to the project through his high school's Coop program. Coop allows high school students to work half-days for a semester, earning high school credits and valuable experience that will undoubtedly help them after graduation.

Tim Norris, Coop student John Keir and another apprentice work on the Rose Cherry Donor Wall. Click for bigger.

"I love it," says Keir, taking a break from helping Norris grout what will be the Rose Cherry Home's Donor Wall, "I love working outdoors. It's a lot of fun. I'm using all sorts of machinery - different things every day. It's been great."

Thanks to the Coop program, Keir knows for sure that he wants to pursue an apprenticeship as a Brick & Stone Mason after he graduates high school.

Situated just off highway 25, north of Milton, the Rose Cherry Home location seems perfect for such a project. The quiet picturesque forest setting goes undisturbed from noisy highways or commercial districts. Standing on the shingled roof overlooking the construction site, there's a flurry of activity of dozens of tradesmen work together to complete this project.

"It's something I believe in," says Norris, "It's something good for the kids."

For more information about the Rose Cherry Home, visit this website. Keep visiting apprenticesearch.com for more information on our great new partnership with Tim Norris, tradesmen and driver in the Ontario Pro Challenge Series.