Every other week on NHPR, we like to put a spotlight on people and places doing interesting things around the state on Give Back NH.
This week we take a tour of Makers Mill's stunning location not far off of Main Street in Wolfeboro.
This transcript has been lightly edited for clarity.
As soon as you walk into Makers Mill, you're met with the hand-carved wooden rails and steps, front desk and wall designs, work done not by woodworkers, but by local high schoolers.
Stina Kindwall: They took all of the wood out of the floor and the kids over there in the building program cut all of the pieces of wood down to size. They did all the metal work in here.
Stina Kindwall, a volunteer with Makers Mill, leads the way up the stairs to the second floor of the building.
Stina Kindwall: Well, this area that's open with tables; this is our instruction area. And we also have fine arts. They have materials back in that corner. So we have fine arts, mixed media, leather and fiber arts up here.
Josh Arnold is the executive director of Makers Mill. He helped found Makers Mill's original incarnation: Global Awareness, Local Action, or GALA. The goal of Makers Mill has been the same since its early days.
Josh Arnold: We just really believe that everyone has unique gifts and skills to share, and we wanted to create a space that can make that happen.
As we walk through the massive open space, Jennifer MacLean and Courtney Drake inspect a newly arrived piece of leather.
Jennifer volunteers with Maker's Mill in their leather circle. She teaches private classes to people interested in learning how to create leather pouches, slacks, even boots. She's even held leather working classes for children.
Jennifer MacLean: You're around like minded other artisans that you get to learn from, and they encourage you and keep the creativity going.
Courtney Drake: Just seeing the joy on people's faces when they realize that they can create something beautiful and they don't have to have all this experience.
Downstairs in the jewelry making area, Chrisy Kaiser and Kristin Ohlmann are making earrings out of brass.
Chrisy Kaiser has been with Makers Mill from the very beginning and says the cross-pollination between the departments is the biggest asset that Maker's Mill offers.
Chrisy Kaiser: I've used the wood shop. I've used the fabric area. I just took a basket making class. I haven't done baskets in 40 years. It was fabulous.
Chrisy Kaiser: You never stop learning. I intend to make my centenary, my 100th birthday, and I will still be taking classes and learning.
That cross pollination Chrisy mentioned is prevalent throughout my tour. Courtney was working on leather with Jennifer but teaches classes on terrariums. Jennifer works with the Fine Arts Circle. Stina works in the metal shop.
The clear throughline of this place is the sense of community.
Courtney Drake: The relationships here are just amazing. Stina has become one of my best friends, Jennifer has become one of my best friends. They're basically family at this point.
Josh Arnold: It is about community. And I think under that is about community resilience. So strengthening that sort of web of relationships among a community. And so that you have a network of friends and relations who can be there for you in times of need. I've seen that here. People who have entered the space without that connection, feeling a real sense of isolation, been in the space and then cultivated that community, and then something happens. People have gone through loss here, and people have come together to support people through that grief and that time. And that is a beautiful thing.
