If you’re looking to unload a failing old snowblower, roto-tiller or lawn mower, look no further.
J. L. Crowe metal-works teacher Dale Smyth and his students will gladly take it off your hands. The class sent out a call for donations in the school’s newsletter and again on Facebook earlier this month, with welcomed success.
“The response has been great,” said Smyth. “We had four donations the day the message for small engines and lawn tractors went out in our newsletter and that was before it hit Facebook.
“The community is awesome, every time we put out the call we get some responses right away.”
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The callout for small engines helps shop students in many ways, said Smyth.
Some motors are learning tools which help students deconstruct the intricacies of the latest Briggs and Stratton.
“Before the metal work students leave the Crowe, I want them to have some experience tuning up, troubleshooting and maintaining engines so when they are at home they have the life skills to upkeep their own or their parents’ machines.”
Parts are also used for retrofitting other engines, or used in unique projects and transformed into something even more ambitious than the original.
“Most of the ones that get donated we disassemble or trouble shoot. Some that are salvageable we implement into student or class projects such as go-karts, mini-bikes, sculptures or part them together for their original purpose.”
The donated engines are not only much needed educational tools, but they also help when it comes to the school’s budget and keeping costs down for parents and ultimately tax payers.
“The parts of the donated items, the students use for their projects, also cut down the price to a manageable level since the cost of metal has sky rocketed.”
And often what the students come up with is a combination of creativity and awe for Smyth.
“I am quite amazed the ingenious ways students will use the parts and how it snowballs into some cool and complex finished products.”
To donate your small engine lawn mowers, snowblowers etc. email dsmyth@sd20.bc.ca.
Related read: J. L. Crowe Class of ’68 lays down Chromebook challenge
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