01/15/2026
Hello Makers,
This is a long post, and anyone subscribed to email will be getting a copy tomorrow evening, but this is important information for our community, please take some time to read this!
We have been dormant for a while, and there's a reason for that. Primarily, our facilities do not meet the ADA requirements for public buildings, and as many of you know, there has been significant litigation among local establishments that we wish to avoid.
Here is our plan moving forward:
First, we need to take a good look at the opportunities at our facilities to meet these requirements. That will be done by our Building & Grounds committee, headed by Kirk Kennedy. Please email me if you are able to volunteer for this committee.
[email protected]
386-566-9673
Second, we need to develop a strong base of volunteers. There are several of you that have contacted me with a willingness to participate in this effort. We are looking for a leadership position, someone who can chair a committee for Volunteer Development. Please email me if you have any interest.
Third and last (for now), I have had the privilege of providing much of the support for this organization over the years, however, this needs to transition to a new, sustainable business model, not reliant on one person.
As the Executive Director, I will continue my efforts in support for the balance of 2026 in hopes that these three categories can be developed with your help. This organization is not supported by any government or philanthropic entity. If this Makerspace is valuable to you, or you see value in it moving forward, now is the time to get involved.
Regarding our core curriculum, we recognize in past years the value of educational courses, specific projects and introductory lessons we have offered. These have been our biggest successes and received the most engagement and interest. Our facility is not currently set up for membership or projects, although there is potential in the future for reasonable exploration into other services.
As mentioned, now is the time to get involved. Please contact me by phone or email if you have any interest.
P.S. We are going to discontinue the Meetup group to reduce our overhead. Email and Facebook will be our primary source of communication with interested parties moving forward.
Kindest Regards,
Kevin Para
P.P.S. A Note from the President:
Many of you have been part of the Makerspace since its beginnings in 2016 as a small Raspberry Pi meetup. Over the past decade, the space has grown, shifted, and transformed, but through it all, it has remained a place of connection, creativity, and community.
Behind the scenes, the Makerspace has largely been sustained through the personal support of Kevin, covering rent, equipment, supplies, and operational costs. While many have stepped in to help along the way, we do not have a sustainable model to keep the space open long-term.
With dwindling funds and a shortage of consistent volunteers, 2026 may be our final year unless we come together as a community. We are not only asking for financial contributions, time and participation matter just as much. Teaching a class, helping with fundraising or financing committees, or volunteering in any capacity could make the difference in keeping our doors open.
Being unable to open consistently to the public has cut off our primary source of revenue, leaving little to cover even minimal overhead. While 2025 was a difficult year, we truly believe in this community and what we can rebuild together, but we can only do it with your help.
Our hope is to revitalize the Makerspace into what it became by 2024: a place to learn, create, and share ideas. After 10 years our main tenants have remained the same, and I hope we can come out the other side of this stronger, together.
Thank you for being part of the journey,
Alina
