Truckee Roundhouse

THE ROUNDHOUSE IS A NON-PROFIT MAKERSPACE THAT SUPPORTS THE TEACHING, LEARNING, AND PRACTICING OF A WIDE VARIETY OF CRAFTS, SKILLS, TECHNOLOGIES, AND ARTS IN THE TRUCKEE-TAHOE COMMUNITY.

THE TRUCKEE ROUNDHOUSE COMMUNITY MAKERSPACE SUPPORTS THE TEACHING, LEARNING, AND PRACTICING OF A WIDE VARIETY OF CRAFTS, SKILLS, TECHNOLOGIES, AND ARTS IN THE TRUCKEE TAHOE COMMUNITY. FOUNDED IN 2015, WE ACHIEVE THIS BY PROVIDING ACCESSIBLE RESOURCES -- TOOLS AND TEACHERS AND PROGRAMS -- IN A COLLABORATIVE ENVIRONMENT. WE ARE A COMMUNITY-RUN, COMMUNITY-BENEFITING ORGANIZATION THAT IS ENRICHING LIVES WITH PROFESSIONAL AND RECREATIONAL EDUCATION PROGRAMS FOR ADULTS AND YOUTH. THE TRUCKEE ROUNDHOUSE COMMUNITY MAKERSPACE ACTUALIZES OUR MISSION IN OUR 4,600-SQUARE-FOOT RENOVATED HANGAR AT TRUCKEE TAHOE AIRPORT, WHERE WE HAVE FIVE SHOPS -- WOOD, METAL, TEXTILES, CERAMICS, AND TECHNOLOGY -- EQUIPPED WITH HIGH-QUALITY AND CUTTING-EDGE TOOLS. WE OFFER A SAFE AND WELCOMING SPACE WHERE PROFESSIONALS AND EXPERIENCED USERS WORK SIDE-BY-SIDE WITH MEMBERS AND STUDENTS. THERE ARE FOUR WAYS FOR THE PUBLIC TO ENGAGE WITH US:AS SELF-DIRECTED MEMBERS WHO WORK INDEPENDENTLY OR IN COLLABORATION WITH OTHERS;TAKING A GROUP CLASS OR WORKSHOP THAT TEACHES TOOL USAGE AND INSPIRES CREATIVITY;PARTICIPATING IN OUR EDUCATION AND COMMUNITY ENRICHMENT PROGRAM;ATTENDING ONE OF OUR FREE PUBLIC-OUTREACH MAKING EVENTS.OUR CURRENT MEMBERSHIP TOTALS 220 PERSONS RANGING IN AGE FROM 12 TO 75. WE SERVE DOZENS MORE THROUGH OUR EDUCATION AND COMMUNITY ENRICHMENT PROGRAM. OUR SUCCESSES FOR 2021 INCLUDED:WE REMAINED A RESOURCE FOR THE GREATER TRUCKEE COMMUNITY DURING THE PANDEMIC. AT FIRST, WE HAD TO OPERATE UNDER STRICT LIMITS IN THE NUMBER OF MEMBERS WHO COULD WORK IN OUR SHOPS, WE THEN EXPERIENCED A BRIEF ONE-MONTH SHUT DOWN IN DECEMBER DUE TO RISING CASES OF COVID, WE REOPENED IN JANUARY AGAIN WITH CAPACITY RESTRICTIONS, AND THEN IN JUNE 2021, WE WERE FINALLY ABLE TO REOPEN FULLY. IN 2021, WE HAD 2,259 MEMBERSHIP VISITS, 521 PUBLIC CLASS VISITS, AND 151 VISITS THROUGH OUR EDUCATION AND COMMUNITY ENRICHMENT PROGRAM. IN ADDITION, WE WELCOMED 32 NEW MEMBERS STARTING IN APRIL 2021, 70% OF WHOM ARE NEW RESIDENTS TO THE AREA. MANY MENTIONED THAT OUR MAKERSPACE WAS ONE OF ONLY A FEW TOUCHPOINTS AVAILABLE TO THEM TO MEET PEOPLE IN THEIR NEW COMMUNITY. WE FOCUSED ON CURRICULUM DEVELOPMENT TO COME BACK STRONGER. WE TOOK THE TIME DURING THE SHUTDOWNS AND LIMITED OPERATIONS TO ACCELERATE WORK ON OUR CURRICULUM DEVELOPMENT PROJECT, WHICH SUPPORTS THE EXPANSION AND SUSTAINABILITY OF OUR PUBLIC PROGRAMS, WORKSHOPS, AND EDUCATION AND COMMUNITY ENRICHMENT PROGRAM. BY ADVANCING THIS PROJECT, WE MOVE INTO A NEW PHASE OF OUR ORGANIZATIONAL MATURITY WHEREBY WE BECOME MORE CONSISTENT IN OUR PROCESSES AND PRACTICES. FURTHERMORE, IT PREPARES US TO EXPAND AND OFFER A MORE ROBUST SCHEDULE OF PUBLIC CLASSES AND WORKSHOPS, WITH INSTRUCTORS ADHERING TO TEACHING PROTOCOLS AND STANDARDS THAT BETTER SERVE STUDENTS. WE ENGAGED A KEY PARTNER TO SERVE IN-NEED STUDENTS. DURING THE PANDEMIC, OUR EDUCATION AND COMMUNITY ENRICHMENT PARTNERSHIPS WERE, OF COURSE, PUT ON HOLD. IT WASNT UNTIL SUMMER 2021 WHEN WE COULD WELCOME GROUPS AGAIN AND WE REACHED OUT TO AIM HIGH, A TRANSFORMATIVE SUMMER ENRICHMENT PROGRAM THAT EMPOWERS MIDDLE SCHOOLERS FROM LOW-INCOME NEIGHBORHOODS, IGNITING A LOVE OF LEARNING AND YIELDING REAL RESULTS -- 97% OF ALUMNI GRADUATE HIGH SCHOOL AND GO ON TO COLLEGE. WE RESPONDED TO A COMMUNITY NEED WITH THE LAUNCH OF A NEW PROGRAM. DUE TO THE RECENT INFLUX OF NEW FULL-TIME RESIDENTS IN THE AREA, MANY AFFORDABLE SUMMER CAMPS LIKE THOSE OFFERED BY TDPUD SOLD OUT QUICKLY AND BEFORE MANY FAMILIES HAD ACCESS TO SIGN UP. AWARE OF THIS, WE RESPONDED BY OFFERING TWO WEEKS OF SUMMER MAKER CAMPS FOR KIDS 8-11, SERVING 14 STUDENTS. OUR MINI MAKERS, USING UPCYCLED MATERIALS, LEARNED THE BASICS OF DESIGN AND PLANNING, SEWING, BASIC WOODWORKING, AND ELECTRONICS. VOLUNTEER HOURS CONTRIBUTEDTHE ROUNDHOUSE IS A SAFE, CLEAN, WELCOMING SPACE THANKS TO OUR TEAM OF 36 SKILLED AND DEDICATED VOLUNTEERS WHO EMBODY A TRUE SPIRIT OF COMMUNITY. EACH COMMITS AT LEAST FOUR HOURS PER WEEK, WHETHER STAFFING THE FRONT DESK, SERVING AS SHOP LEADERS AND ASSISTANTS, PARTICIPATING IN SHOP CLEAN-UPS, WORKING OUR ANNUAL MAKER SHOW FUNDRAISER, OR PROVIDING PROFESSIONAL SERVICES SUCH AS THE CONSTRUCTION OF STORAGE AND SHELVING, ELECTRICAL WORK, AND CPR AND FIRST-AID TRAINING. MEMBERS OF OUR BOARD OF DIRECTORS, A BROAD CROSS-SECTION OF THE COMMUNITY, DEVOTE AN AVERAGE OF FOUR HOURS A WEEK TO MONTHLY BOARD MEETINGS, COMMUNITY OUTREACH, RELATIONSHIP BUILDING, COMMITTEE SERVICE, AND PRO BONO PROFESSIONAL SERVICES. IT TOOK OVER 4,072 HOURS VOLUNTEER HOURS IN 2021 TO OPERATE THE SPACE, AN INCREDIBLE ACT OF GENEROSITY AND COMMUNITY SERVICE DURING A GLOBAL PANDEMIC.