Kooyman crowns winner of 2023 handyman challenge

The Kooyman Handyman Challenge culminated last weekend after two months of competition, with Josiah Maximilien emerging winner of the title Best Handyman of Barbados.

He won the grand prize of a BBD $6 000 Kooyman gift certificate and all the Milwaukee tools he used in the final.

Kooyman opened the Milwaukee-sponsored Handyman Challenge 2023 with a call to competitors to submit a project made of pallets in order to participate in the competition. Ten finalists were selected and they were then given an assignment to make a child’s bed. The voting was opened to the public and the five highest-scoring contestants advanced.

During the finals, which took place on Saturday, June 17, all participants were given the assignment: to create a project using only one length of 1x12x16 feet pine lumber. All participants received the same tools and were allowed to bring one other tool and a special item that would provide the icing on the cake for their project. The participants had four hours to complete the task.

In the end, Maximilien was adjudged the winner.

Kooyman congratulated the four finalists Anthony Alleyne, Antonio Trotman, Johann Cover and David Durant for their exceptional work.

Charlene Mullin, Marketing Officer at Kooyman said: “It’s important for Kooyman to be socially involved in the community and among other things, offer the opportunity to take on significant challenges that contribute in one way or another to personal and artistic development. The talent that can be found on this island is immeasurable and it was great to witness this in action.”

Kooyman Barbados also donated Milwaukee power tools valued at $7 000 to the Samuel Jackman Prescod Institute of Technology.

Mullin stated: “As a hardware store, we understand how important qualified tradesmen are to our industry. We consistently contribute to youth and education projects in the community, and we immediately thought to offer similar support to one of our mainstay training institutions. Milwaukee tools are loved by many construction professionals and we hope that this donation can offer support to SJPI’s ongoing initiatives.”

The presentation was made to Principal of SJPI Mr. Ian Drakes by Assistant Store Manager Terri Nicholls. 

(PR)