Covid-19 Response
Although our building is currently closed to the public, Pacem’s makerspace has been in use (with appropriate precautions) to help protect people during the pandemic. We’ve used 3D printing to prototype face shields that could be made using materials on hand, and our laser cutter to cut clear plastic sheet for more than a dozen shields (which will be used at a local nursing home). We’ve also used the laser cutter to make templates for cutting out cloth for home-made masks, and adjustable elastic clips to improve the comfort of standard N95 medical masks.
We’ve also donated 3D printing filament that we couldn’t use immediately to the statewide project for making more than 1000 face shields.
In the meantime, the Vermont makers’ group made us aware of an urgent need for ear savers (little widgets that capture the elastic straps of an N95 mask so that frontline healthcare staff don’t get sores on the backs of their ears). After conferring on the design specifics, we laser cut more than 300 ear savers of various sizes, which went straight to the UVM Emergency Department and ICU.
In addition, many members of the Pacem community have been putting personal sewing machines to work making cloth masks to donate to various organizations including Shelburne Bay Senior Living, UVM, and Central Vermont Medical Center.
Our Space
Our space is devoted to fostering creative and technological pursuits in a wide variety of media. Documented educational benefits of such a space include the development of creativity, collaborative problem-solving skills, and technical knowledge; and it’s just cool!
Our equipment includes a Glowforge lasercutter, several 3D printers and sewing machines, a quilt frame, several computers, and more! We are planning to host public after school and evening maker times and classes. For more information on how to use these tools (and to prepare projects before you come) see our Resources page.
Members of the Montpelier community both young and old are invited to come together to design and build a variety of projects… the only limit is your imagination! We are currently planning our schedule and programming for the fall. If you are interested in using the makerspace, please fill out our questionnaire to let us know when you are available and what you are interested in.
Upcoming Workshops:
Our building is closed to the public.
Community Open Maker Times
On hold during the pandemic. But if you have a project you’d like to pursue, contact us and we’ll see if we can help.
Come and let your creative and technological juices flow! Bring your ideas, and we’ll help you get started using the machines.
Open Maker Times:
Tuesdays 3:15 pm – 5:30 pm
Saturdays 2:00 pm – 5:00 pm
Fee: $15/session or $50 for a 5 session pass. (Fees for after-school times are already included in Pacem full-time tuition.) Your first visit to the space is free!
Ages: Youth and adults are welcome. Children under 12 must be accompanied by their own supervising adult.
Let us know you’ll be there: Please register before coming. If you do not register, we may not have sufficient staffing to help you with your projects. If you have not been to an orientation or open house, you must register before attending. If no one is signed up and people are done with their projects, we reserve the right to close the space early.
We’ll post more information about open maker times and workshops as well as fees here, once we know them.
The Pacem Community Makerspace is made possible by a generous grant from the National Life Foundation, and equipment donations from the Vermont Family Network.
