Forget all other exercise regimens! I have discovered the ReUse workout. Lug around cast iron tubs and sinks and you’ll be sporting buns and abs of cast iron in no time.

Why volunteer for hard work and now cold weather? The stock answer should be that it makes my conscience feel good because I am giving back to the community . . .

That’s part of it. But I also love old houses and old house parts. It’s like an archeologist saving treasure from a threatened archeological site. ReUse’s mission also jives exactly with my own philosophies and beliefs that urban living is the correct and more ecologically way to live. Through ReUse I get to help reverse urban blight, rebuild communities, and save the environment.

I also find the work to be very satisfying. I love to work with my hands and share the skills I’ve learned renovating my old house. The results are tangible, immediate, and positive. I also can’t deny that working with all the manly tools and machines makes a guy’s inner caveman proud.

Lastly the people are enthusiastic, fun, and hard-working. This perhaps (I make no apologies for the syrupy line here) is the best reason to volunteer.

So I guess the moral is that there are lots of reasons to volunteer for ReUse.

—Ian MacDonald