KZYX did a short interview. Go to this blog to hear it.
It says what is happening fairly well. We invite you to come in and chat if you want more information.
Caleb’s Shield-making video
This video is Caleb describing the new nicely curved Shields he is working on. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=67vLUF5Fgmk.
Yes, it looks good.
Mendo-Lake Food Hub Ribbon Cutting at Wowser
On Thursday July 23rd from 6:30 – 7:30 pm, Wowser will host a ribbon cutting ceremony for North Coast Opportunities’ (NCO) Mendo-Lake Food Hub. We’d like to invite you to attend and celebrate with us. The Food Hub is accepting orders and delivering local produce to local restaurants, retailers, and schools. The Hub manages aggregation, storage, and distribution for local farms and connects producers with buyers.
Food producers upload the produce they have available for sale via a web-based system. Buyers select from the available crops and place their order. Farmers drop their produce at their closest available cold storage “node.” These refrigerated containers are strategically placed throughout Mendocino and Lake Counties including locations in Ukiah, Willits, the Coast, Lakeport, and Anderson Valley. The Willits node will be stored in a secure location at Wowser. Mendocino Coast Produce will pick up the produce and distribute to buyers.
Wowser is interested in creating a resilient economy by supporting local entrepreneurs and makers. Tied closely to that vision is the realization that a vibrant local food system is the back-bone of strong local economy. In support of that effort, Wowser is conducting custom classes for students from the Grange Farm School. A relationship with the Food Hub is a natural fit as it helps local farmers reach more customers and increase sales.
During the ribbon cutting ceremony there will be short presentations from John Bailey of NCO and the Food Hub along with local farmers and buyers who are participating in the project. There will also be hors devours available. Wowser’s Espresso Yourself Café will be open and serving local coffee and tea. In addition, there will be special tours and demonstrations of the various Wowser projects. As a 501(c)3 Wowser is accepting donations to keep worthy projects like this going.
We will also have a clothing swap along with Wowser made items for sale at the event. In addition, we will have tours and members working on projects. We will have awesome pressed flower necklaces and window hangings for a $25.00 donation.
If you’re a farmer, a business looking for local produce, you’re interested in forming a buyer’s club for personal use, or you simply want to continue to support these efforts, please come join us at 6:30 on Thursday July 23rd at Wowser to celebrate building a resilient local economy.
A Grant for Wowser and Espresso Yourself!
Wowser is delighted to announce that The Community Foundation of Mendocino County has awarded Wowser a $6000 grant to equip the youth-driven micro-business, Espresso Yourself Café.
The members-only coffee shop will open on June 15th inside Wowser. Espresso Yourself Cafe is a project of 17-year old Wowser member, Tara Logan. The business is self-contained in a gypsy wagon type structure inside the 20,000 square foot Makerspace. It will serve members Thanksgiving Coffee, Mendocino Tea Lady Tea, along with locally made food items.
As a part of her preparation, Tara has taken Business Management classes at Mendocino College. She has found mentors, and with the help of the West Company, Thanksgiving Coffee, Brickhouse Coffee, Patricia Baumann, Kitty Norris, and Wowser members, she has brought this forward to near completion and opening. The Café will be open nightly from 6pm to 10pm and will be open to all Wowser members. And for added entertainment, there will be scheduled live music and ‘open mic’ evenings.
The grant funds are coming from the Community Foundation’s Community Endowment Fund which is a collection of permanent, undesignated endowment funds, the income from which supports annual grants for the enrichment of local communities. Donors to the Community Endowment Fund understand that this is a permanent and flexible way to ensure their donations are used where the needs and opportunities are greatest.
This is Wowser’s first collaborative project with a member. This is one way the non-profit makerspace fosters economic development within the community. Young Wowser members will be eligible to work as interns, with all aspects of the coffee shop being accounted for by the teens running the Café.
Megan Barber Allende of the Community Foundation says, “It’s exciting to support the efforts of local youth to create a positive meeting space for young people in a location where they can be stimulated to explore their creativity and to follow their dreams – while furthering our goal of economic development in the County.”
“I’m grateful for the support of the Community Foundation of Mendocino County. It’s a thrill to see what started out as an idea turn into a real business,” says Espresso Yourself’s Tara Logan. “The vision is to provide a safe, drug-free space for kids of all ages to hangout during the evening. Please come join us!”
Wowser has an INCREDIBLE discount membership special running from now until June 15th. For more information and to sign up, please visit: http://wowser.org/special/.
Summer Instructors
The summer here at Wowser promises to be a blast. We’re proud to offer a wide range of classes from community experts. Each class is one week long. Choose which classes you want to go to, one week, all eight, or somewhere in between. The full schedule has been released already. Now check out the quality of the instructors we have lined up for you!
Wowser Summer Workshop Series Instructors
Bret Newberry: USAF avionics technician, marketing degree, 20+ years sales and finance. Renewable energy technician. Bret will hold workshops in basic auto maintenance and solar power.
Phillip Stewart: Has constantly honed his skills regarding all aspects of the planning, design and creation of sculpture. In 2002 fulfilled a desire to bring cutting edge technology and science to the field of sculpture fabrication. I hope to carry this primary goal forward through collaborations with artists and arts institutions allowing them to follow their visions without being told “not possible”. Where there is a will, there is a way. Stu will be running a workshop on Bismuth and metal working safety.
Sally Smith: She is a published writer. She was asked in 2000 to have her poem “Virginia Child” be included in the publication America at the Millennium: The Best Poems and Poets of the 20th Century by the International Library of Poetry. In 2012 she published AM I MY BROTHES’S KEEPER? and is currently on Amazon.com This is a gripping mystery written in the voice of a small town Virginia storyteller, which alone is a genre worth exploring. Sally will run a workshop on storytelling based on current events, with your imagination added.
James Wilson: Certified TIG welder, experienced in all forms of welding and metal fabrication. James also had made several prototype bicycles. James likes to make something new every day. He hangs his Welder at Wowser, and is an artist in residence.
Susan Proctor: Has been sewing most of her life, and is well versed in both costume and fashion clothing production. She will be able to help you learn the machine and work on a project.
Michael Hackleman: He has written seven books on alternative energy. Currently he is making a prototype electric Rail Bus at Wowser. He lives off grid and his extensive knowledge of alternative energy along with the experience of making off grid systems is invaluable. Michael will run workshops in both electric cars, and another workshop on solar hot water systems. [Read more…]
Summer Schedule
The outpouring of support to put together the Wowser Summer Skills Training Program has been unbelievable. We’re proud to offer a wide range of classes from community experts. Each class is one week long. Members choose which classes they want to go to, one week, all eight, or somewhere in between.
Classes range from Chris Hardaker’s: The Ancient Roots of Design: Geometry Without Math, to James Wilson’s Welding class, to Bill White’s class will involve students designing and building an inviting entrance to Wowser, a class on sewing, and much more.
The program serves Mendocino County youth ages 14 plus. It starts on June 15th and for eight continuous weeks will offer different classes.
You can find the complete schedule here: Wowser Summer Schedule (The schedule is an excel spreadsheet…please note the tabs at the bottom to find all the weeks).
More classes are being added. We’ll keep you updated.
All classes are Free for members. We have a special membership promotion which is a 50% discount off our normal annual $100 fee. For just $50, or $4.44 a month, you will have all normal annual membership privileges AND attend any of the summer classes. (Oh and as a member you get to hang out at Espresso Yourself Cafe) This price is available only until June 15th. Sign up as a member HERE.
Unless otherwise noted, classes will be capped at 6 students and are filled on a first-come, first- serve basis. To register please email Cyndee Logan or call 459-9697 with the class you’d like. Please include the title and date of the class.
Thank you for making the Summer Program possible. Now let’s build!
Join us on Facebook for updates and fun.
- 1
- 2
- 3
- …
- 6
- Next Page »
