After the Bell with CCHS Staffulty Member Michael Meacham
Have you ever wondered what teachers and school staff do when they are not at school? We decided to find out!
This is the 8th in a series of stories about some of Central Catholic’s faculty and staff members and what they like to do after the bell rings at the end of the day. Some have surprising hobbies; others have creative talents. With this series, we hope to shine a spotlight on the special people who work with our students every day!
Handcrafted with Heart
Michael has been working at Central Catholic since June 2009. He works in the custodial-maintenance department, ensuring that facility grounds are safe, clean, and appealing. He is also responsible for performing inspections, servicing and repairing equipment, routine electrical and plumbing, and various other projects on campus. During his time at CCHS, he has had 3 sons attend and graduate - Lucas ’11, Adam ’14, and Ian ’16.
When he’s not taking care of our maintenance and custodial needs at CCHS, Michael can often be found with tools in hand of a different sort.
“I’ve always enjoyed doing woodwork,” he said. “It started out of necessity with fixing things or making things. Our house is decorated with many items that I’ve made. Over time, it has become therapeutic as well as slightly profitable. My work evolves and changes, and I haven’t found a single thing that I like to make better than anything else.”
Michael has made bird houses, cutting and charcuterie boards, coffee tables, and end tables. His most requested items are his American flags. “When I take time to make something, it’s almost always for a specific person,” he said. “Whether it’s a gift or something someone ordered, I love putting a personal touch on everything I make.”
Carol Reyes, the Guidance Administrative Assistant and Registrar at Central Catholic, purchased an American flag from Michael. “I saw on Facebook that he made them, and he included a video about the process, and it was amazing!” she said. “I asked him to make one for me, and I just love it. He does beautiful work.”
As his work has advanced, so have his tools. He has very few brand-new tools and has been given many items as gifts over the years. Others he has bought used. His father-in-law was a craftsman and had his own shop. Michael inherited a wood brand from him and uses it on everything he makes. That’s where the name, The Sawdust Shoppe, came from. Michael has an Instagram page specifically dedicated to his woodworking - @thesawdustshoppe.
Michael doesn’t make anything ahead of time or keep items in stock, but he invites anyone to have him create something for them. “I enjoy the process of design, purchasing the material, and then sharing the results!” he said.
Previous Editions of “After the Bell”
Kim Bremer (August)
Ernie Lamb (September)
Logan Lorenzen (October)
Kylee Stewart (November)
Tyler Kleeberger (December)
Abigail Kruse (January)
Whitney McHaffie (February)
