WHITE SALMON — Community members flocked to the Gorge MakerSpace on Dec. 6 for the nonprofit’s second-annual winter fundraiser, “Festival of Making.” From 3-7 p.m., visitors perused and bid on silent auction items, rotated between hands-on crafting activities and enjoyed complimentary food and cider.
Kids, parents and canines alike showed out strong, tightly packing the workshop conglomeration and outdoor space with bodies. The MakerSpace boasts several creative stations, including a woodshop, metalshop, 3D-printing lab and sewing studio, offering an all-encompassing outlet for the region’s diverse population of makers.
Although not strictly enforced, $10 donations were encouraged upon entry, granting participants a shot in a prize raffle, with winners selected in bunches throughout the evening.
Silent auction offerings covered a wide swath of categories, including multi-day excursions, art lessons, paintings, backpacks, hand-crafted goods and more. Bidders also had a chance to take home a slew of items made by students from the MakerSpace’s afterschool program, Many Hands Monday, including a cribbage board, cutting board and mahogany bench.
All proceeds generated throughout the evening will go towards shop upgrades, increasing access for artists through scholarship funds and expanding class offerings.
MakerSpace co-director Jack Perrin briefly spoke near the end of the night, honoring volunteers Anne Genglar and Phil Johnson, whose indispensable support have helped keep the workshop afloat and thriving over the years.
Perrin also reflected on the MakerSpace’s humble origins and steep evolution, from a camp in his backyard to one of the Gorge’s most welcoming and accessible creative zones.
“Kids love to build cool stuff,” Perrin said. “There wasn’t really a place for them to do that.”
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Gorge MakerSpace is located at 32 NE Pioneer Place in White Salmon. For more information, to sign up for classes or to donate, visit www.gorgemakerspace.org.
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