Update: two people here in VCF/Mid-Atlantic made generous donations to the IXR/CDL fund -- thank you! Latest update is the newly merged group is only $194 short of their goal. On 1/3/19 5:39 PM, Evan Koblentz wrote:
From the "Many of you may already know this, but some may not" department:
For the past few years there's been a makerspace located at InfoAge. It was called the Institute for Exploratory Research, or "IXR". Adjacent to the IXR's space on the InfoAge campus was the Computer Deconstruction Lab, where people can learn about modern computers. It also has a podcast studio.
Neither group was an independent entity, unlike VCF, NJARC, NJHDA, etc. -- IXR and CDL were simply part of InfoAge.
Now, with InfoAge's blessing, the two groups are both closing and reforming as an independent entity (just like VCF, etc.) under the CDL name. That is already underway. The new group will be branded as "Computer Deconstruction Lab -- the Jersey Shore Makerspace".
CDL needs to raise $1,084 for all the business/non-profit filing fees. So far they raised $710.
IXR/CDL separately have been helpful resources to VCF and to InfoAge, so let's return the favor! Perhaps VCF/Mid-Atlantic members can help CDL raise the remaining funds. (Any funds beyond that amount will be used as seed money.)
The new group doesn't yet have its own bank account. As I understand it, their treasurer will be Martin Flynn, who of course is a trusted VCF member too.
Their other officers will be secretary Neil Cherry (also one of us!); president Dan Jacobs (a good friend to us); and VP Joe Wilkes. I will be one of the board members, but I won't be involved in day-to-day management. VCF keeps me plenty busy. :)
Until they get a bank account (and thus a PayPal account), Martin is handling the funds directly. Please contact him at maflynn@theflynn.org to inquire about helping them get started. (FYI: they said these donations are NOT tax-deductible, because they're ahead of the status being obtained.)
The group's website is www.compdecon.org.
-- Evan Koblentz, executive director Vintage Computer Federation www.vcfed.org evan@vcfed.org (646) 546-9999 VCF is a 501(c)(3) non-profit organization.