I’ve been hovering around the forums since ahout January/February when I first joined through a library membership and got checked out on one machine. Every time after that when I’ve thought about visiting, either I had no money to renew my membership, it’s too much of a commute (I live in the southwest edge of Lansing, in the Eaton county part), or the hours just don’t mesh with my “raising a toddler” schedule.
I so badly want to participate and volunteer but it’s just super impractical.
I had been mulling over the idea of proposing something like a small satellite location — the south side is desperately in need of attention and things for teens and young adults to do. Plus there are tons of empty commercial spaces. That said I felt it was kind of audacious for a relative stranger to barge in and say “hey cater to my needs please!”
If people were interested in something like a satellite location — especially a teen-friendly one — I’d love to help set one up on the Southside or alternatively in Old Town — or both! I’ve even been dreaming about getting a VW bus and turning it into a “MakerMobile” that could run after school programs at multiple local schools.
Anyway I still have a 1 month gift membership from the holidays but I didn’t want to start it and then not come back for the rest of the month like last time.
That’s such an awesome idea! IDK about the logistics, money (especially renting/insuring/paying utilities for another building), and volunteer capacity, but it would be very cool.
I really dig the MakerMobile idea - something I’ve dreamed about is teaming up with retirement communities and/or rehab and assisted living joints, whether in a structured event or “we have the garage full of tools that you miss” capacity.
I could imagine a scenario where we periodically re-configure the MakerMobile to run a particular class/event that we take on tour to schools and other places e.g. maybe for X months it’s all kitted out for textiles, then we swap that out to be a pop-up flameworking shop.
We’d definitely need to do a lot of work figuring out what would be feasible and safe, what costs and work everything would entail, etc. but I’d definitely be up for getting together to start thinking the possibilities through.
I absolutely love this idea, but want to acknowledge that the leadership team is a bit beyond capacity already. If a team of people want to get together and look at what would be needed to make this happen, we are all for it!
I can imagine a mobile makerspace like this being a fantastic addition to events and other outreach that we already do.
The board is meeting at the end of the month with a consultant to start creating our new strategic plan and I’ll mention this idea there as well.
Not the kind of solution you were looking for but I also have a little guy and bring him in to do safe maker things and have a snack in the break room,
if you wanted I could supervise crafts and a snack together or play outside in the grass for a couple hours while you work on projects.
Open hours don’t work great for us because of hours and that a safe place to work needs to be free, I have full access and if it’s okay with leadership when you have regular access you could be my guest for whenever works for both of us.
I get an infusion every 2 months but it only lasts 1 month so I wouldn’t be able to start until after August 4th
He’s 3 and we really need more things to do during the day