Georgia Magazine - June 2024 - 27

ride-on cars for children with disabilities through
the University of Delaware's GoBabyGo! program.
The team did its first GoBabyGo! build when a local
mother requested one for her child.
" We immediately had six more requests, so
within a year we had made eight, " Cua says.
When flooding recently damaged the building,
Cherokee Makerspace saw it as an opportunity to
reimagine the space. Talton says the new design is
" actually purpose-built to be a makerspace. "
Cherokee Makerspace also is using this
renovation as a chance to teach volunteers. Talton
says she enjoys teaching others so they, in turn, can
pass on the skills she learned from her father when
she was a child. Talton's father taught her how to
solder, fabricate and even rebuild engines.
" I don't have children of my own, so I like to
pass [the knowledge] on to other people, " she says.
Cherokee Makerspace offers discounted membership
prices for first responders, veterans, teachers and seniors.
Members get 24/7 access to the space.
The Garage Makerspace, Augusta
(706) 721-0949; augustainnovation.com/about
" It's not fun to sit there and try and solve something all by
yourself, " says Lynsey Steinberg, director of innovation.
If you have an idea, The Garage Makerspace is willing to
help. It is part of an innovation ecosystem within the Georgia
Cyber Innovation & Training Center, where there is " this perfect
balance of industry, academia and government, " Steinberg says.
Augusta University and Augusta Technical College created
the Georgia Cyber Innovation & Training Center, which partners
with organizations that support startups, entrepreneurs and
learners.
Augusta's innovators benefit from the city's five large
medical facilities, including the Charlie Norwood VA Medical
Center. Augusta also is located within the Fort Eisenhower
Cyber District, an initiative that supports innovation and
technology in both the private and defense sectors.
One thing that distinguishes The Garage Makerspace is
Above left: A middle school student uses a band saw at Cherokee
Makerspace to trim a polycarbonate sheet. The makerspace began as
a facility for members of the Etowah High School robotics team and
remains committed to youth education in science, technology,
engineering and mathematics. Above: The Firestorm Robotics
team and Cherokee Makerspace mentor Alexander Cua work on a
GoBabyGo! build for a local child with disabilities.
prototyping. Through its relationships with government,
hospitals, military and academic institutions, the makerspace
has access to experts who can help innovators prototype and
test a product.
When makerspace facilitator Aaron Cummings was an
art student at Augusta University, he prototyped a durable
and comfortable face mask for hospital health care workers in
collaboration with other students, faculty members, medical
illustrators and an anaplastologist (health care professional who
designs prosthetics). Steinberg says Cummings distinguished
himself as being " fantastic at prototyping, at designing and
testing and then doing it all over again, so we're thrilled to have
him here with our team. "
The Garage Makerspace also can fill the gap between small
businesses and larger corporations. Steinberg says a startup
owner who wants to embroider 50 shirts can't do it at a
company that requires a minimum order of 500 shirts, but
The Garage Makerspace can embroider a smaller amount.
Even if you don't own a small business or aren't a student,
you can experience what The Garage Makerspace offers by
joining a workshop or getting a day pass. Different membership
tiers make the services accessible to anyone.
FireStarter FABLab, Warner Robins
(478) 919-2372; firestarterfablab.com
Ten years ago Warner Robins entrepreneurs had nowhere
to prototype new items. That changed when the FireStarter
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www.georgiamagazine.org 27
COURTESY CHEROKEE MAKERSPACE
COURTESY CHEROKEE MAKERSPACE
http://www.augustainnovation.com/about http://www.firestarterfablab.com http://www.georgiamagazine.org
Georgia Magazine - June 2024

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