Over the end of this year and the beginning of the next, your donations to Cruces Creatives support
A down payment and facility renovations for a jewelry metalworks and arts retail and event space;
Operational support for all of Cruces Creatives’s charitable programs; and
Upfront funding for reimbursable grants, making it possible to bring many Federal dollars to Las Cruces for every private dollar received.
The power of upfront funding for reimbursable grants is that it lets Cruces Creatives apply for and secure Federal grants worth many times the value of the upfront funding, time and time again. Cruces Creatives’s educational programs through STEAMM Team and CommunityShare Las Cruces, as well as Cruces Creatives’s work in economic development and food security through a freeze drying partnership with Backyard Farms, LLC, are all significantly supported through Federal grants—and with more upfront funding, Cruces Creatives can apply for and accept more Federal awards to bring more services to greater Las Cruces, especially in education.
Almost all Federal grants operate on a reimbursement basis, which means they don’t pay upfront; instead, nonprofits doing work under Federal grants pay for 1-3 months of program expenses, then the Federal grant reimburses the nonprofit. With more upfront funding for reimbursable grants, Cruces Creatives will be able to apply for and accept more Federal grants to do more good—and then, when the reimbursement comes in, Cruces Creatives can repeat the process. Consequently, through the fund for reimbursable grants, each dollar you donate turns into many.
To contribute, please visit https://www.crucescreatives.org/donate or contact Executive Director Lea Wise-Surguy at l.wisesurguy@crucescreatives.org. Thank you!
This December, your end-of-year contributions to Cruces Creatives can help give Las Cruces a new facility for metalworks and art retail!
After five years of leasing, Cruces Creatives is working to purchase its own building, 3206 Harrelson St., in Mesilla Park! We’ll keep leasing the main makerspace facility at 205 E. Lohman Ave., and we’ll add 3206 Harrelson St. as a satellite site, offering all sorts of benefits to the creative community in Las Cruces and to the long-term sustainability of Cruces Creatives itself. To the creative community, 3206 Harrelson will offer
An additional 1,500 ft2 of industrially zoned space in the east side of the building, which will become Lumbre Metalworks+: a space that, for the first time, can provide community access to metalworking jewelry tools and other hotworks through Cruces Creatives;
A commercial retail space, continuing the work of The Hood (the current arts, events, and collectibles business at the site) under Richard Parra’s mentorship, to support the arts and economic development;
A professional, creative events space; and
Private studios with access to all of the tools available at both makerspace facilities.
For the long-term sustainability of Cruces Creatives and its services to the community, 3206 Harrelson offers
The ability to invest in facility improvements and sustainability initiatives, such as renewable energy and energy-efficiency measures, that can reduce expenses while advancing Cruces Creatives’s goals for environmental protection;
Additional revenue streams through expanded memberships, private studio rentals, retail sales, and event rentals, supporting Cruces Creatives’s charitable missions; and
The ability to build equity that, in the long term, can help secure a large, unified makerspace facility that gathers all of the tool types, training opportunities, and community under one roof.
The current fundraising campaign will also support the main makerspace site at 205 E. Lohman Ave. and provide upfront funding for reimbursable grants in education, economic development, and more.
Our initial goal for the campaign is $200,000—and the first $20,000 is raised! To help us get all the way and bring a community jewelry metalworking studio and arts retail space to Las Cruces, please visit https://www.crucescreatives.org/donate or contact Executive Director Lea Wise-Surguy at l.wisesurguy@crucescreatives.org. Thank you!
More information about the Lumbre Metalsworks+ site at 3206 Harrelson Street, as well as the Cruces Creatives fundraising campaign overall, is available in the attachment.
Preliminary Feasibility Study - Las Cruces, NM
Last year the Community Foundation of Southern New Mexico and Doña Ana Arts Council worked with Cruces Creatives and Artspace, a national artist housing organization, to see if there is a need in Las Cruces for artistic specific housing.
At this point Terra Winter fundraising for the next study and looking for routes to make an artist living space in Las Cruces possible. Thank you, Terra! If you'd like to contribute to the next stage please donate here.
A special shoutout to additional supporters and partners the U.S. Bank Foundation, Nusenda Credit Union, and NMSU's Art Museum.
Read the report here.
Even during the pandemic, the makerspace community has kept busy! Learn what Cruces Creatives accomplished through the 2020 Activities Report:
Reopening - December 2020
Begins Dec 4th
Cruces Creatives will be reopening December 4th and we wanted to share a few of the new policies and safety guidelines with you.
Facility
We will be open Wednesdays and Fridays, 10am – 6pm; and Saturdays 10am – 5pm. For the time being, we will only be open on these 3 days and during limited hours. Over time we will add more hours. As part of our reopening, our hours will be for members and volunteers only. If you are an individual from the public, please schedule a time with Lindsey McDonald, either through l.mcdonald@crucescreatives.org or 575-448-1072. (We have a few shifts with fewer hands than normal, and this phased opening and scheduling will allow our team to keep up with needed safety tasks. Thanks for your patience on this!) Our Kids Room is currently closed. The Classroom / Conference Room is currently closed for PPE production. We have a new limited capacity of 24. Each room will have a max number of participants. There will be signs on each room announcing that number. Each shift monitors will sanitize heavily used places like door handles, and the logbook station The Break Room will have limited functions, including no community coffee, no shared food, no reusable kitchenware, and only one user at a time. All food consumption should only happen in the Break Room, though it is recommended to best eat outdoors alone. For the moment, most classes, workshops, and events are suspended. We'll share more info on these activities restarting at a later time.
Masks – everyone masked, all the time unless you have a medical reason not to, or are under the age of 3. If an individual has shown COVID symptoms, they should avoid Cruces Creatives for at least 2 weeks after symptoms have dissipated. Members, volunteers, and any visitors should use hand sanitizer before logging into the Logbook. Member, volunteers, and visitors should regularly wash their hands while at CC, and for 20+ seconds. Everyone is required to stay 6’+ away from one another. All individuals should clean work stations, both before and after use. Cleaning supplies will be placed around the building. Members and volunteers will need to have their own PPE. Folks can either come with their own, or there will be eye protection and ear plugs available for sale at the front desk.
Stay safe and thank you,
Lea, the CC Board, and the Admin Team
Reopening - Phase 1
Begins June 17th
Cruces Creatives will be reopening starting this week and we wanted to share a few of the new policies and safety guidelines with you.
Our first reopening date is Wednesday, June 17th. We will be open Wednesdays and Fridays, 10am – 6pm; and Saturdays 9am – 5pm. For the time being, we will only be open on these 3 days and during limited hours. Over time we will add more hours. As part of our Phase 1 reopening, our hours will be for members and volunteers only. If you are an individual from the public, please schedule a time with Lindsey McDonald, either through l.mcdonald@crucescreatives.org or 575-448-1072. (We have a few shifts with fewer hands than normal, and this phased opening and scheduling will allow our team to keep up with needed safety tasks. Thanks for your patience on this!) Our Kids Room is currently closed. The Classroom / Conference Room is currently closed for PPE production. We have a new limited capacity of 49. Each room will have a max number of participants. There will be signs on each room announcing that number. Each shift monitors will sanitize heavily used places like door handles, and the logbook station The Break Room will have limited functions, including no community coffee, no shared food, no reusable kitchenware, and only one user at a time. All food consumption should only happen in the Break Room. For the moment, most classes, workshops, and events are suspended. We'll share more info on these activities restarting at a later time.
----------- PS. Two our team members, Lea Wise-Surguy and Patrick DeSimio, are expecting their first child this August / September! As such, they will both be out of the office for the foreseeable future. If you need to contact them for questions, special projects, or other important tasks, please feel free to email them at l.wisesurguy@crucescreatives.org and p.desimio@crucescreatives.org. They will respond as soon as they can.
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PS. Two our team members, Lea Wise-Surguy and Patrick DeSimio, are expecting their first child this August / September!
As such, they will both be out of the office for the foreseeable future. If you need to contact them for questions, special projects, or other important tasks, please feel free to email them at l.wisesurguy@crucescreatives.org and p.desimio@crucescreatives.org. They will respond as soon as they can.
Here’s an update on the makerspace projects to help reduce the impacts of Covid-19. From last week’s call for interest in several possible projects, over 70 community members responded, and now progress is underway on several types of personal protective equipment (PPE) and student activity kits. Most are in the final stages of design, and production should begin this coming week.
Personal Protective Equipment (PPE)
3D-Printed Masks with Filter Cartridges
For medical personnel, 15 volunteers with Cruces Creatives are designing 3D-printed plastic face masks with cartridge inserts for filters (which can be MERV 13, N95, or HEPA). Physicians at Memorial Medical Center are testing the designs and giving feedback to ensure that the masks are effective, and based on their feedback, the masks are currently in the final phases of design and testing. Memorial Medical Center requests 1,000 units.
Fabric Face Masks
To reduce transmission risks from people who are sick and to reduce the risks to medical personnel in the absence of ideal PPE, fabric face masks are needed. A team of 50 textile volunteers with Cruces Creatives will be sewing fabric masks with inserts for filters.
Face Shields
Face shields can reduce the risk to medical personnel during procedures such as intubation. The face shields manufactured by the Cruces Creatives team have been confirmed effective by personnel at Memorial Medical Center.
The Las Cruces maker community has really come together to make a difference in these extraordinary circumstances. In addition to the 70 volunteers who are contributing their time and expertise, dozens of people have donated materials, an anonymous donor has provided $500 for materials for PPE, and Dirk Squibb, the manager of Johnstone Supply, has donated hundreds of yards of MERV 13 filter material. Over the coming month, we plan to alleviate the shortage of PPE in our community—and save lives—by producing around 1,000 units (or more) of each type of PPE.
If you would like to be involved, you can volunteer by contacting team leads for the different projects:
Face Shield Project: Jon Simmons, j.simmons@crucescreatives.org
3D-Printed Masks with Filter Cartridges: Jeff Curry, jeff.curry@gmail.com
Fabric Face Masks: Lindsey McDonald l.mcdonald@crucescreatives.org
You can also make an earmarked donation for PPE production by contributing at https://crucescreatives.org/donate-money/ with a comment that the donation is for PPE.
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Student Activity Kits
On a lighter note, Cruces Creatives is also producing activity kits with lesson plans for Las Cruces Public School students, who are now learning remotely. The kits will be sent home with students during school lunch pickups, and some kits will also be available for pickup at Cruces Creatives.
These kits are being developed with support from the New Mexico STEM Outreach Center. Cruces Creatives would also like to thank the Las Cruces Arts Association, which has given an additional $500 toward this project.
If you would like to be involved, you can volunteer by contacting the team lead for this project, Sandy Smith, at s.smith@crucescreatives.org.
You can also make an earmarked donation for student kit production by contributing at https://crucescreatives.org/donate-money/ with a comment that the donation is for student kits.
Be safe and well wishes,
Lea Wise-Surguy, Executive Director
The Cruces Creatives Board
The Admin Team
And all our Volunteers
Through the Cruces Creatives community, there are several ways you could help Las Cruces weather COVID-19:
As we explore options, we're reaching out to you to gauge interest and identify the resources that are available. To help, please take a moment to read more about the project options and complete quick surveys on the projects that interest you.
Sewing Face Masks
To combat face mask shortages and help keep medical personnel healthy, we can sew face masks following CDC guidelines.
Face Mask Survey
3D Printing Ventilator Parts and/or Face Masks
As ventilators are used, some parts need replacing sooner than others--and we could 3D print those parts. Additionally, some face masks can be 3D printed. 3D Printing Survey
As ventilators are used, some parts need replacing sooner than others--and we could 3D print those parts. Additionally, some face masks can be 3D printed.
3D Printing Survey
Kits with lesson plans and materials can help students keep learning, and we have a partnership opportunity with LCPS to distribute learning kits along with school lunches. Activity Kit Survey
Kits with lesson plans and materials can help students keep learning, and we have a partnership opportunity with LCPS to distribute learning kits along with school lunches.
Activity Kit Survey
Thank you for all your time and effort.
Very best,
Agriculture
If you work in ag, we know you’re still out working the fields and are hope for this spring to keep being so mild and wet. Did you know CC has a special project focused on ag technology and sustainable ag? If you’re interested in sharing with us technological ideas you know need addressing in agriculture, or if you’d like to work with us on New Mexico sustainable agriculture, reach out; we’d love to work with you!
To give recommendations for ag tech or problems that need addressing, or to join fellow sustainable farmers and ranchers, email project manager Patrick DeSimio at p.desimio@crucescreatives.org For the Future at Cruces Creatives:
To give recommendations for ag tech or problems that need addressing, or to join fellow sustainable farmers and ranchers, email project manager Patrick DeSimio at p.desimio@crucescreatives.org
For the Future at Cruces Creatives:
Tools: Come build tools, shelves, special planting beds, and more in our wood shop Service: Job Shop – Want something custom built but don’t have the time to make it? We offer prototyping and custom build services. Reach out to us to start a project
Tools: Come build tools, shelves, special planting beds, and more in our wood shop
Service: Job Shop – Want something custom built but don’t have the time to make it? We offer prototyping and custom build services. Reach out to us to start a project
https://crucescreatives.org/Job-Shop
Teaching – Share your skills!
There are so many great skills and projects you know how to do, and we’d love to host you at Cruces Creatives. This is a great time to work on lesson plans for your future classes.
Making a lesson plan
https://www.goguardian.com/resources/teachers/how-to-write-a-lesson-plan-a-teachers-guide/
Some Tips for Being a Great Teacher
https://busyteacher.org/16874-how-to-become-the-best-teacher-students-advice.html
For the Future:
Opportunity: Submit a proposal to teach a class with us at: https://crucescreatives.org/Propose-a-Program Opportunity: Cruces Creatives is thinking of online classes and events, if you have an idea reach out to us. We’d love to do innovative and creative ideas with you!
Opportunity: Submit a proposal to teach a class with us at: https://crucescreatives.org/Propose-a-Program
Opportunity: Cruces Creatives is thinking of online classes and events, if you have an idea reach out to us. We’d love to do innovative and creative ideas with you!
This list is just a short list of what’s possible--hope you find great resources to get your projects started. We’re looking forward to seeing you soon and hearing and seeing your new ideas!
Lea Wise-Surguy, ED
Call or Text us Office: (575) 448 - 1072Email:support@crucescreatives.org
Address:205 E. Lohman AveLas Cruces, NM 88001
