Memorial Day is a day that is meant to honor and mourn our country’s military personnel, who died while serving in the United States armed forces. Observed on the last Monday of May, Memorial Day is also considered the unofficial beginning of summer. It is a day for visiting cemeteries and memorials to mourn our service members who have died in the line of duty. Volunteers place American flags on their graves’ national cemeteries, while family and friends lay flowers and remember those lost.
A Cumberland man found his own unique way to pay tribute to America’s fallen heroes by crafting beautiful benches.
It was several years ago when Alan Vadnais came across an ad on social media. Someone was giving away a park bench. He acquired the bench with the intent of refurbishing it, and making something beautiful and patriotic out of it. It sat in his backyard for a month, before he was inspired to paint an American Flag across it.
Vadnais now builds custom, one-of-a-kind American Flag benches, as well as benches for veterans and their families, at a low price.
Vadnais’s inspired hobby has turned into a small business, called Going With The Grain, which he operates out of his garage.
As a draftsman by trade, Vadnais is a skilled carpenter, with all the tools he needs by his side at his home workshop. It’s something he loves doing. When he isn’t putting in hours at his full-time job, he’s working on patriotic benches.
He started out by purchasing unwanted, weatherworn benches from all over the state, and storing them in his backyard. Soon people were contacting him and offering their old, broken benches. Sometimes, only the cast iron sides remained. Vadnais restores the benches with new wood, patience, and creativity. He also works with an engraver, who can personalize the bench in memory of someone who served.
Vadnais is not a veteran, though his grandfathers were. Service and sacrifice mean a lot to him, and his benches aren’t limited to those who have served in the armed services. He also makes benches for first responders, police officers, and firefighters.
“These people do stuff for people every day. Especially police officers, firefighters, the responder stuff; it’s amazing how they do all of this. Like police officers, all the stuff you see on TV, and they still do it every day, and that’s pretty amazing to me. And veterans, the same thing. They all deserve to be noticed. That’s how I look at it.”
Vandais has also made custom rocking chairs for several teachers in his community, and he recently shipped some of his work out of state, so Going With The Grain is off to a great start.
“I’m crazy about detail when I do something,” Vadnais said. “If it’s not right, I’ll take it apart and do it all over again, because it’s got to be precise, especially for veterans. I want them to have something perfect.”
Nothing is finalized until his partner, foreman, and wife, Marguerite, gives the green light.
“She’s stood behind me 100%,” he said. “We’re a great team.”
Vadnais is always looking for donations of old benches that people would like to get
rid of, or have restored for someone special.
“If you’ve got a vision, I’ll build it,” Vadnais said.
Have something in mind? Give Alan and Marguerite Vadnais a call at 401-862-2803, and visit the Going With The Grain website at https://www.thebenchguy.com.
