right here in Fresno.
He's working out of his one car garage, to build and restore
wasted wood.
Jack Ellena calls himself "the Jack of All Trades."
KSEE 24's Lemor Abrams has his story in today's We Are Fresno report.
Jack Ellena is hard at work.
78 years old, retired...but still the Jack of All Trades.
"Jack is pretty nimble and pretty quick I might say."
Building anything from desks, to decorations...from scratch...for pure satisfaction.
"My old boss used to say that satisfaction is your second paycheck. And the others always seem to be spent before you get 'em."
Furniture is stained...never revealing the scars.
"Most of it comes from pallets or from box springs that people throw out."
Wasted pieces of wood brought back to life...to serve a purpose.
"I found a lot of people don't mind receiving it."
His one and only just got a Santa Clause.
"I think that's the third one I made for her. The others walked out the door."
His son is always first in line.
"We've had a set of cabinets, various tables, shelves...at least one clock and a Santa Clause," said Jack's son, Randy Ellena.
Dad was always hands on...even in the Korean War.
"It kept me busy with my hands. I was an electronics technician aboard the destroyer."
Using the tools his dad gave him...and instilled in him at the ol' shop
on the family ranch, during the Depression.
"Dad had a shop simply because if we needed furniture...he made it."
Jack believes everyone must leave something behind.