NORWAY — A Main Street staple for the last 99 years, the Weary Club received a most welcome update — a new and improved front porch.

Dick Cushman, senior director of the Weary Club’s board, was dispatched to supervise repairs to the front porch and decking of the Main Street clubhouse.

“This project has been a while in coming,” Cushman, this year’s senior director of the Weary Club’s board and a member for more than 40 years, said from his supervisor’s seat in the sun. The porch “has been deteriorating underneath, making the deck start sagging. With our 100th anniversary coming next year it was time to make it a priority project.”

Caleb Dostie of Dostie Construction in Casco is the project’s contractor. Cushman’s neighbor, Shawn Dobson, who owns the old Eastman house on Pike’s Hill, also worked on the repairs.

“We’re building the new deck with new framing lumber and composite materials,” Dostie said. “The columns are the same, they’re just being repainted. The decking was originally flush to the sidewalk. So we put new footings and framing, and cleaned up the rest (of the porch) as best we could.”

The Weary Club held its last monthly meeting of the year Oct. 18. But its doors will reopen to members next April, as they have done for the last 99 years.

“We are paying for the repairs with contributions from our members and the community,” club President Matthew Gruba said. “Any individuals who would like to help preserve (a piece of Norway’s village history) can mail donations to The Weary Club, 385 Main St., Norway 04268. We can also accept funds via the Weary Club handle on PayPal.”

According to the Weary Club’s original charter, active membership is capped at 200. Gruba added that there are currently openings available. The cost for lifetime membership is $50.

The Weary Club was founded about 1923 by Fred Sanborn, who was then owner and publisher of the Advertiser Democrat. Weary Club members were known during its early era as “makers and dealers in cedar shavings, social gossip, political wisdom and Yankee philosophy,” who could demonstrate the ability to whittle a shaving light enough to float.

These days, members are expected to shut off all personal devices when entering the clubhouse and commit to engaging in the art of old-fashioned conversation.