Men(tor) at work

Harry Brodbeck and Odin Ebert.

By Ron Beeber, Contributing Writer 

PENTWATER — When Harry Brodbeck isn’t using his metalworking skills at the Pentwater Artisan Learning Center to construct a stainless steel shroud for the restored Noon Whistle, or a steel pedestal on which to display a sculpture on Pentwater Channel, he can sometimes be found mentoring youth. Other PALC members do, too.   

This summer, Harry has been involved in a very rewarding mentoring project. It involves the grandson of Nick and Suzanne Gutwein, who bought the Bass Lake guest home of PALC founders Gene and Barb Davidson a few years ago. It’s next door to where the Davidsons lived for many years, and across the street from a parcel that the Davidsons also owned, and on which Gene built a park over 30 years ago. 

“They named it ‘Rex Plex,’” said Jeff Elhart, Barb’s son. “That’s short for ‘recreation complex.’ Besides being a great park to gather for a barbecue, the Rex Plex was great fun for basketball, tennis, shuffleboard, badminton and volleyball.”  

“Gene built the park as part of our anticipation for how its use could benefit people young and old,” said Barb. “And if you ever used the ‘Rex Plex,’ Gene expected you to put everything away in the storage facility that he built on the grounds. He had a labeled space for all the balls, rackets, and other sports equipment.”

After the Davidsons sold it about 20 years ago, the new owners let the parcel return to its natural vegetative state.

In 2023, the Gutweins chipped in with three S. Harbor Drive neighboring families to buy the lot that had become so overgrown, and this spearheaded the effort to restore the park.

“We remembered how beautiful the old park was that Gene and Barb built,” said Nick. “It was a shame that it became a gnarly mess of trees and bushes. People started dumping stuff. Curt Bennen, who owns Turning Leaf Landscaping, has been a key part of the restoration. He cleared the land, and then covered it in topsoil. It’s now 95 percent complete.”

And this is where Brodbeck comes into the picture. The Gutweins’ 17-year-old grandson, Odin Ebert of Phoenix, spent this summer with them. Beginning his senior year of high school in a few weeks, he plans to earn an aerospace engineering degree from Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University in Prescott, Arizona.     

“Last summer, Nick and I hosted our oldest grandchildren from Arizona and Colorado for a few days and called it ‘Cousins Camp,’” explained Suzanne. “Our grandkids wanted to do something as a community project, and look for something to donate to. After we learned that Gene had passed away in October of 2022, we met with Barb. And our grandkids toured the Artisan Center.”

“We had a little Cousins Camp contest last summer,” continued Odin. “Our grandparents saved up a bowl of loose change, and each of us guessed how much money was in the bowl. In the end, we donated all the money to the Artisan Center, it was more than $200. This summer, my cousins and I are helping to revitalize the park as our vacation’s community project.” 

“When Odin arrived in June, he mentioned that he really wanted to learn metalworking,” Suzanne said. “So I asked a pickle ball friend about who I might ask. Her husband referred us to Harry. And Harry has been mentoring Odin all summer.”

“When I heard about Odin’s interest, I said, ‘Sure, bring him in. I’ll mentor him,’”  said Harry. Brodbeck first started welding as a youth, and then worked as a welder for five years. Now retired, he’s often found in the PALC’s metalworking area. “But my main role at the Artisan Center is fixing everything in this whole place,” he said with a smile. 

Harry quickly involved Odin in several projects, including building the stainless steel pedestal on which the new Water Maiden sculpture was recently installed on Pentwater Channel. “Odin has done this, that, and the other this summer. I took him under my wing.”

But the idea for a “Davidson Park” sign in the revitalized park was really Nick’s idea. “We want it to be for the community, and to remember Gene and Barb because they’re such influential and caring people. They built that park, loved to see people enjoy it, and loved to see nature there. So we want to restore it.”

“One day, Odin asked, ‘Hey, my Grandpa wants to build this sign,’” continued Harry. “Is that something we can do?’  When Odin said it was for a ‘Davidson Park,’ I realized it was tied to Gene. So, I said, ‘Sure, let’s go with it. Go up to the Artisan Center drawing room and draw what you think it should be.’ When he came back with a sketch of a 14 x 18 foot sign and asked if it was too big, I said, ‘No, go big or go home!’ I’m a learn-by-doing kinda guy. Odin is not gonna learn by watching me, so I showed him how. He did about 90 percent of the work on the stainless steel header, and the two mild steel uprights.”   

“Odin’s so happy and excited every time he’s doing something at the Artisan Center with Harry,”  said Suzanne. To which Nick added, “Harry’s been unbelievable for Odin. If Gene’s and Barb’s vision was to teach students arts, crafts and trade skills, this is a perfect example of how it should work. It’s a beautiful thing, it really is.” 

Harry Brodbeck and Nick Gutwein.