Volunteer Spotlight
This week we’d like to showcase one of our volunteer
workshop hosts: Martin Ratterman.
Martin Ratterman lives near Colombia, Missouri where he
works out of his own woodworking studio. Here he produces pieces of furniture
that may as well be called works of art. Martin combines many types of wood to
make rocking chairs, ottomans, work benches, and tables.
What makes Martin’s work even more remarkable is his
story. Martin is a cancer survivor. After discovering that he had colon cancer
and undergoing treatments and eight times the normal amount of chemotherapy, he
is alive and recovering and giving back. Every month Martin lends his expertise
to HALO Center members from reStart youth shelter on a Saturday morning.
For each Saturday workshop Martin hosts, he and his wife
drive over 100 miles and spend the entire weekend in Kansas City. He brings all
of his own materials for the planned workshop. Martin has also donated a tool
cabinet as well as several tools for the youth to use at the Center.
Martin works extremely well with the youth. He teaches
them lessons on patience, the importance of being precise, and how their
lessons in woodworking can carry over into the real world. Over the course of
three four hour workshops, Martin and the youth from reStart have built a work
table for the HALO Center, a work bench, and have repaired broken chairs for
the Center.
As a volunteer, Martin has gone above and beyond to meet
our needs at the HALO Learning Center. We are so incredibly thankful for all
that he has done and continues to do for the youth of Kansas City.
If you are interested in influencing youth in Kansas City
and getting involved with the HALO Learning Center, please contact me at
nataliekolega@haloworldwide.org.
Warm Regards,
Natalie
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