While the members of a jigsaw Meetup based in Burnaby may have differing levels of ability, they have what’s most important to the group – a passion for puzzles.
Sitting near the window at Joe's Table, puzzling over pieces together, it is clear that Jon Foxton and John Woods have known each other a long time.
They chat about people they know and a concert they attended together about a decade ago as they search the piles for pieces that fit.
Woods started the Lower Mainland Jigsaw Puzzlers' Monthly Meetup at Joe's Table in September.
"We noticed that there were a number of people throughout Burnaby who enjoyed doing jigsaws individually, and we thought maybe it'd be fun to just get together and have some coffee and a treat and chat while we were working on our puzzles," he said.
The pair first met when Woods was working at a home where Foxton lived, though now Woods' work involves helping people with developmental disabilities, like Foxton, make connections in the community.
Foxton is an avid puzzle enthusiast who recently moved on from working with 3D puzzles - the pieces kept getting lost - to completing a 1,000-piece puzzle of the Brooklyn Bridge on his own.
"I did it myself," he told the NOW, adding, when asked how long it took, "Not long."
Foxton has been doing the puzzles a long time, he said, and has been with the group since the beginning.
When asked if he'd made friends at the group he said he hadn't made any yet, until Woods reminded him of another member, Andrew, who was planning to be at that evening's gathering.
Foxton also said he liked going to the café so he could have a treat while working on his puzzles, and added that the food was good there.
The café was established as a tribute to Joseph Chung, who passed away at the age of 32. Chung had multiple disabilities but was best known for bringing joy to others, according to his obituary.
The café employs people with differing abilities, so it was the ideal place for people with developmental disabilities to bond over a common interest rather than their limitations, according to Woods.
"One of the things that's interesting about this Meetup is that a lot of people that are from it are people with developmental disabilities," he explained. "And so we noticed that there were a lot of people in Burnaby who were doing these jigsaws by themselves or what have you, and just not having a chance to get out and meet other folks."
However, since the group started, it has expanded to include a variety of jigsaw enthusiasts.
"The neat thing was, although the group started out being a lot of folks with developmental disabilities who were in the group, now it's actually grown and we're getting people from the greater community who also have an interest in jigsaw puzzles who are just showing up and doing it as well," Woods said. "It's a great opportunity for people to meet over a shared interest without really having lots of considerations about whether people are disabled or not disabled."
The group meets from 5:45 to 7:45 p.m. on the second Friday of the month. There are about 11 members online, and about five to seven people show up for the evenings, according to Woods.
Everyone is welcome, he said.
"The common denominator is a shared love of jigsaws," he said. "I've been doing jigsaws for 20 to 30 years here and there, but I'm definitely not as capable or enthusiastic a jigsaw partner as some of the other folks who come out here."
The most important aspect is a desire to put the pieces together and connect with others.
"One of the things that I love about Meetup is that it is committed to real in-person community building," he said.
