The DeWitt Creativity Group is proud to announce the formation of the Lansing Maker's Network, a collection of DIY builders/hobbyists groups on January 11, 2010. Several organizations representing a wide array of maker types met at the Gunnisonville School to begin a campaign to create a fabrication studio in the Lansing similar to Maker Works (www.maker-works.com) in Ann Arbor. For individuals interested in helping this effort, please contact Brian Adams: AdamsB@msu.edu. Here is a comprehensive summary of the meeting (thanks to Michael Flaga):
Rather than being hosted by a member’s to expo their 9-5 workspace, we gathered at the recently closed public Gunnisonville Elementary School, hosted by the new owners. Who are interested in housing for several projects, beginning with a Day-Care and Assisted Living Care in one end of the building and are looking for tenant’s in the other end.
The meeting was attended by approximately dozen persons. With several new members to HIAG’s email list. Additionally representatives from Portland Machinist Guild and Mid-Michigan Woodworkers Guild attended, along with some persons from TechSmith and several teachers from the area’s public K-12 schools.
All parties are interested in the formation of a Lansing area public fabrication studio, similar to others such as I3-Detriot, MakerWorks (Ann Arbor) TechShop (Dearborn) and All-Hand-Active (Ann Arbor). Links can be found at http://www.highimpedanceairgap.com/other-maker-pages-1
In short this meeting became the incubation of newborn “Lansing Maker’s Network”. With a goal of coalescing the different greater Lansing maker type groups.
We can shortly expect to see a email group and from there group discussions on who, what, where, when and how we can coalesce, and proceed with the goal of providing a community, that can bridge the different area’s and multi-generational gaps.
Our take-a-way action items were:
• Create the email Group
• For representatives of other groups to solicit and gage support by their group.
• Solicit support by other groups not attended
o There are quite a few arts and crafts groups that fall in with our goals.
o Along with other that may be interested in a meeting space.
o Is there a match with org’s:
K-12 STEM’s “Project Lead the Way” www.pltw.org.
ITEC?
YMCA
Boy/Girl Scouts
• Possible group road trip to MakerWorks
• Preliminary look for any grants or corporate sponsorships
o Discover what their requirements are.
• Define a common workspaces requirements as a tenant.
• Preliminary look for any projects either inter-discipline or not, that our new “Lansing Maker’s Network”, can mentor.
o Hosting a PineCar Derby, (similar but not too be confused with BoyScout’s PineWood Derby) with possible compition against other hackerspaces, such as I3’s recent PineCar Derby.
o Host a Rubegoldberg contest. http://www.rubegoldberg.com
o Hosting other CubScout/BSA
http://www.scouting.org/scoutsource/CubScouts/Activities/Adults/derbies.aspx
“SpaceDerby” http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Space_derby
• Wow - I remember doing this.
Raingutter Regatta
• Again – I remember doing this. (lost memories)
o Intro Classes