Georgia Magazine - June 2024 - 28

manager. Many of those business owners " never thought they
would be a business. "
One woman used the FABLab to make a handheld
mirror for her daughter, then three of her friends wanted
mirrors. FireStarter FABLab board member John Luppino says,
" I think at the end she had made over 100 of them. "
Now she sells her mirrors online.
When he was a woodworking teacher for more than
30 years at Northside High School and Houston County High
School in Warner Robins, Howard says parents would tell him,
" Boy, we wish we could have a shop like this and do things like
the kids were able to do in the school. " Now they can.
The woodworking class is the most popular, Howard says,
but the FABLab also offers classes to teach people how to laser
etch, embroider, work with resin, 3D print and weld.
" One thing we're proud of here is
that not only are we helping the small
businesses, but we're also helping the
schools, " Luppino says.
For example, the FABLab
constructed a bookmobile from an old
school bus, Howard says.
Luppino says other schools in
Above: FireStarter FABLab transformed an
old school bus into a bookmobile for the
Houston County School District. Right: A
member of the FABLab uses a CNC router to
create a custom wood project.
Entrepreneurship and Innovation
Community sought to use Houston College
& Career Academy's (HCCA) facilities in
the evening. The Houston County Board of Education agreed,
and the space is now vital to both entrepreneurs and makers.
Reynolds-based Flint Energies was instrumental in
developing the makerspace and remains a key partner.
Jay Flesher, manager of economic development at Flint
Energies, says the idea to create the FireStarter FABLab came
as a response to rumblings that the federal government might
consider closing or relocating the nearby Robins Air Force Base.
" We don't provide electric service to the base, but we serve
the people who work there, " Flesher says. " The 21st Century
Partnership, a community-funded nonprofit organization in
Warner Robins that focuses on matters related to Robins Air
Force Base, did a study in 2014 and came up with 20 key areas
for community improvement.
" We at Flint Energies felt like we were well-suited to
assist with three of these areas: supporting STEM education
in schools; helping to recruit and retain STEM professionals;
and developing an innovation space. When these workers and
families are here, what are they doing for fun to use their talents
and to create on their own? That's where the makerspace idea
fit in. "
The FireStarter FABLab opened in 2016 and has achieved
the goal of boosting innovation in the region.
" We've got about 20 different small businesses that have
started out of here, " says Gary Howard, FireStarter FABLab
28 Georgia Magazine June 2024
Georgia should start similar programs.
" It helps the school, and it helps
the community, " he says.
Anyone age 14 and older can
become a member of FireStarter
FABLab. Those interested in membership
are welcome to take a tour.
" You have to see the place to really
appreciate it, " Howard says.
Katie Teems Norris is a New Mexico-based freelance writer
and communications professional.
More Georgia makerspaces
* Decatur Makers, Decatur; (678) 304-7395; decaturmakers.org
* Ellijay Makerspace, Ellijay; ellijaymakerspace@gmail.com;
ellijaymakerspace.org
* Freeside Atlanta, Atlanta; hello@freesideatlanta.org;
freesideatlanta.org
* The Garage Makerspace for Innovation & Design, Carrollton;
(404) 834-6989; bit.ly/garagecarrollton
* Geekspace Gwinnett, Suwanee; info@geekspacegwinnett.org;
geekspacegwinnett.org
* Georgia Tech's makerspaces, Atlanta; bit.ly/techmakerspaces
* The Hapeville Maker Space, Hapeville; tiff any@generationinfocus.
com; hapevillemakerspace.com
* Innovation Studio, Statesboro; (912) 478-5528;
bit.ly/gasouthernstudio
* The Maker Station, Marietta; (404) 500-6253; themakerstation.com
* MASS Collective, Atlanta; (404) 477-4224; masscollective.org
* Roswell Firelabs, Roswell; info@roswellfi relabs.org;
roswellfi relabs.org
* Savannah Makerspace, Savannah; (614) 701-7908;
savannahmakerspace.org
Find a makerspace at a public library near you using the Georgia
Public Library Service Tech Center's map at bit.ly/galibrarymakers.
COURTESY FIRESTARTER FABLAB
COURTESY FIRESTARTER FABLAB

http://www.decaturmakers.org http://www.ellijaymakerspace.org http://www.freesideatlanta.org http://bit.ly/garagecarrollton http://www.geekspacegwinnett.org http://bit.ly/techmakerspaces http://www.hapevillemakerspace.com http://bit.ly/gasouthernstudio http://www.themakerstation.com http://www.masscollective.org http://www.roswellfirelabs.org http://www.savannahmakerspace.org http://bit.ly/galibrarymakers

Georgia Magazine - June 2024

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