2023 Year-End Reflections

In the harried frenzy that the holidays and yearend brings, it is important to pause, exhale, and reflect on what an incredible year it has been for the Truckee Roundhouse. I continue to be inspired by the ways our community comes together in creative play — to heal a lonely heart, to awaken a new passion or hobby, the ways love is expressed through personalized and handmade gifts, the intermix of generations to teach and learn new skills, partnerships formed to build and encourage new business endeavors or the friendships formed through the shared love of making something with one’s own hands.

In 2023, we continued to serve our region through our Education and Community Enrichment program.  We launched new partnerships and deepened current ones. One particularly meaningful partnership is with Truckee River School. Truckee River School (TRS) is a part of TTUSD’s alternative education program. Students who are referred to Truckee River School are on probation, have been expelled from a traditional program, or are there by court order. In our partnership with Truckee River School, students experience much-needed enrichment activities, express their creativity, and have fun while connecting to the community and envisioning different possibilities for their futures. The Roundhouse hosted TRS for a 6-week welding program in the spring and a 6-week Textiles program this fall. It has been amazing to see these students thrive as they build new skills and explore their creative potential.

In 2023, we continued to invest in our Curriculum Development Project to improve our public programs, which would not have been possible without the investment of many of our foundation supporters. Specifically, we want to thank Tahoe Mountain Resorts Foundation, Richard Reed Foundation, Lahontan Community Foundation, and Martis Camp Foundation for seeing the importance of this capacity-building project. The Truckee Roundhouse expanded our program reach by 65% over 2022, with more than 1,600 public class attendees in 2023. Our more robust public class and workshop schedule has not only increased our earned revenue, it has also fueled growth in memberships as folks become skilled enough after taking classes to use tools in their own self-directed learning and projects.  

In 2023, we continued to improve accessibility and outreach to underserved communities. With the generous support of our donors, in January 2024, we are excited to launch our new Class Scholarship Program, where our community members who need financial assistance can apply for up to $590 annually in class stipends. We are also excited to continue our Kids Camp Scholarship Program. In 2023, we awarded full scholarships to 12% of campers, some of whom had never attended a summer camp of any kind. For 2024, the Kids Camp Scholarship Fund is generously sponsored in part by the Soroptimists of Truckee Donner. Keep your ears open for us to announce our 2024 dates sometime in late February.

In 2023, we continued to find ways to improve. With the hiring of our Community Manager, Alissa Aiton, in June of 2022, we expanded what was possible for our organization, and in 2023, because of this wonderful woman, we saw huge improvements in our organization’s stability and sustainability. Many of you have likely had the pleasure of meeting her at the space or at events. With her organizational talents, passion for our mission, and focus on providing the highest level of user experience, Alissa has transformed the Truckee Roundhouse in so many ways, and I am grateful for the positive impact she has made on the organization and the greater creative community.

This past October, Alissa and I traveled to Maker Faire on Mare Island in Vallejo and were blown away by the community, the creativity, and the collaboration of the greater Maker Community. We networked with other makerspaces and came back to our region with new maker project ideas, connections with expert instructors, and we hope to bring even more interactive large-scale art to our 2024 Maker Show.

In 2023, we continue to be grateful for our amazing volunteers. I am so grateful for our working Board, who give their time, passion, and resources to help guide our organization in a fiscally responsible, impact-driven, and equitable way. Our Board works hard to keep us focused on how best to serve and cultivate creative community in an achievable and accessible way. They are the behind-the-scenes dream team creating the budgets, leading the Maker Show Leadership Committee, writing the grants, and building community connections to support the Truckee Roundhouse. 

Additionally, this community resource would not be possible without our Front Desk and Shop volunteers. Their dedicated volunteer service keeps our doors open and our membership and classes affordable. From staffing the Front Desk to repairing our machines, cleaning the bathroom to taking out the trash, our volunteers host events, classes, safety checkouts, and our volunteers contributed 7,620 hours to run the makerspace last year. That level of community service is incredible.

As I often say during our Saturday Public Tours, we are a lot of heart and creative passion packed into a relatively small space! 

We are proud to live in a place that values creativity. Thank you so much to all our volunteers, members, supporters, cheerleaders, and event and class attendees. Thank you all for showing up to make our community a more vibrant, healthy, and creative place to live and thrive. Thank you for uniting creativity and community to build a better world.

Wishing us all an inspired New Year! 

Gratefully, 

Karyn Stanley
Executive Director
Truckee Roundhouse