Salem needs a place for creative energy, community, and entrepreneurship. There are scattered places that have space or a general shop, but I want to bring them all together.

The goal of the Salem Makerspace would be to have a safe, welcoming space for anyone who wants to create something, learn how to make, and be a part of community.

"Use it up, wear it out, make it do, or do without" is an old phrase that I learned from my grandparents who grew up in the depression. 

Today's world is so different from generations before. We have so much access to cheap goods, both in price in quality. But it does come at a different price. Seeing how many of those items are thrown away each day is very saddening to me. I want to include in the Makerspace an option for people to donate used things: fabric, metal, wood, furniture, anything that be reused or upcycled.

I used to work at a shop that refurbished old pieces of furniture. I loved the idea of taking an old piece of furniture and giving it a new life. I would marvel at the joints that used to be made by hand, the grain of the wood, and the intricate carvings put into each piece. So many pieces were updated and put back into the community instead of going to waste.

Since COVID, there are fewer community classes in Salem. I want to bring those back.

Part of my work in education has been to encourage in my students a love of lifelong learning. I want to have opportunities for everyone interested in our community to learn a new skill, whether that's building cabinets for your kitchen, or learning to paint with watercolors.