BETHEL — Every year the AARP sponsors a Community Challenge grant opportunity. This year, the Bethel Congo Craftsmen and the Bethel Area Arts and Music Program, have come together with the AFCI to build and design wooden benches and picnic tables to be used outdoors in the surrounding six towns. The Congo Craftsmen will be building the wooden benches, and BAAM will be painting and added designs onto them.

The Congo Craftsmen meet every Monday morning to build. Currently, they are building the benches for AFCI. However, the Congo Craftsmen have been building for mostly non-profit groups since 2004. They are a group of six to eight men, a little family almost, who originally almost all went to the same church, hence their name, “The Congo Craftsmen,” Congo short for Congregation. However, they don’t get together just for the spirit of building, but also in the spirit of comradery and laughs. Since all the men are retired, they aren’t used to not going to work on Mondays. So they decided to keep up the Monday tradition of waking up early to work – all for a good cause.

They went from making pew card holders for the church in 2006, to making six-foot benches for new 4H camp dining hall, to making nine large magnificent chandeliers for PL, to the podium at The Gem Theater, to even carving the gem on it.

The men come from all sorts of skilled backgrounds, from a semi-conductor to a dentist to a mechanic to working with air crafts; yet they all are creating anything and everything out of planks of wood. Bob Iles came up with the idea. Initially, they began helping the church camp, and since, have continued the tradition with helping mainly non-profits.

So far, one set of the benches will either be placed in front of Town Hall or along Davis Park. The project is to be completed Fall of 2021. Up to two people can sit on the bench comfortably; however, four people can fit. It is pressure-treated wood. Under a BAAM member’s supervision, the public can help paint the bench. Picnic tables will also be made, depending on what the town would like. The Congo Craftsmen work diligently to ensure everything they build is safe, but also always make sure they take their coffee break midday.

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