From left, Gerry Burchard, Milt Haines, Barb Rollin, Curtis Overby, and Carolyn Morrison in front, are proud of the new bird house at the Independence Township Senior Center.

BY PHIL CUSTODIO
Clarkston News Editor
The birdhouse outside the Independence Township Senior Center was looking a bit run down in recent months and members were looking for a way to replace it.
“The Garden Committee said it needed to go,” said gardener Carolyn Morrison. “I said, ‘well, we have wood workers.'”
The senior center Woodcarving Club stepped up to the task.
“I have a workshop so I said I could do that,” said Milt Haines, who joined the club this past year.
Haines designed and built the new birdhouse for wrens, finches, and other small birds, using cedar donated by club member Curtis Overby.
“It’s beautiful – it looks like the Grand Hotel on Mackinac Island,” said Barb Rollin, Independence Township Senior Community Center director.
The birdhouse has been a fixture behind the center for more than 20 years, including when the center was an old farm house, Morrison said.
“It’s nice when we’re working out here to hear the birds,” she said. “The birdhouse is a nice part of Clintonwood Park and we wanted to keep it.”
“I hope it’ll be here for awhile,” Haines said.
The woodcarvers meet on Fridays at 9 a.m. Instructor Bob Dixon teaches the fundamentals of woodcarving with knives and chisels, feathering techniques, texturing, and painting.
“It’s the only one in the area,” said Gerry Burchard, who has been with the club for the past six years.
“It’s a great group of people,” Haines said.
“It’s a nice way to be with the guys,” said Overby, club member for two years.
The club works on various projects every week. At a recent Friday class, the group was handcrafting wooden birds.
“If the birds won’t come, we’ll carve our own,” Overby said. “I learn a lot from Bob, carving and painting techniques. He’s a great instructor. The stuff we’ve carved are really nice.”
The club meets at the senior center, 6000 Clarkston Road. All skill levels welcome. Call 248-625-8231.