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Into the swing of it

One young man is pretty happy with a generous gift he received thanks to some locals at Fort Machine Works.
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Aaron Calder playing on his new swing set made especially for him by Fort Machine Works.

One young man is pretty happy with a generous gift he received thanks to some locals.

Aaron Calder is enjoying a new swing set made especially for him by the machinists at Fort Machine Works.

Dalton Lerum, Jeff Davis, Don Derksen and Norm Leggatt were involved in building the set for Aaron.

Aaron is a young man with autism who, with a height around six feet and a weight to match his stature, can not use just any old kids swing set. But Calder can safely use a specially-made swing set in his own yard now, which is pretty great for someone who lives out of town and has special needs.

Hannah Phillips, who works at the Fort St. James Secondary School came up with the idea to look into having a swing made for Aaron because she would go to the swings at Goodwin Park with Aaron from school sometimes and knew he enjoyed them.

Phillips had thought she would look into getting some materials and having the swings made at the school, because she knew a sturdy metal swing set would be very expensive.

So she approached Fort Machine Works to see if they could donate some materials or help with plans for one.

She said when she asked, Fort Machine Works told her they could build the set and have it ready by spring, at no cost.

"It was pretty exciting that they offered," she said.

Once it was completed, Fort Machine Works staff came out and installed the set, and Phillips said it is now a part of Aaron's regular routine.