Can you believe this December marks three years since we moved to Fairfax? Way back when our main focus was just keeping the power on and passing fire marshal inspections. We've come such a long way since then, from clearing space and building walls, to developing some awesome programs and building strong relationships with the broader community.

This year has been one of much renovating and reorganizing. Thanks to two grants from Fairfax City, we were able to make the Orange Bay and front shops significantly more inviting with new floors and lighting, and we added a unique mural to brighten up the brick facade of the building and tell our story of making in pictures. There was also a shockingly huge amount of work that went into installing new electrical panels and cleaning out all the wires behind the ceiling tiles.

But while it seems the job is never done, and we still continue to talk about where the next walls will go, it's time that we switch gears and focus on our next phase: Growth and Maturity.

Looking to the coming year, we plan to stay true to our mission to inspire and enable makers, inventors and entrepreneurs of all ages. We will continue to find ways to open our doors to the larger community and spread that inspiration throughout the region. We hit a huge milestone towards this goal in October, by bringing Maker Faire Nova back online for the first time since the pandemic. The one-day event offered an exciting opportunity for people across the region to come see and learn what making is all about, in the most creative and awe-inspiring ways. We are also continuing our tradition with the Nova Labs Maker Market, December 7th, giving our members a chance to showcase their work to people shopping for local, handmade gifts. 

Beyond community engagement, we are also committed to developing new tools and processes to create better transparency of operations. We plan to bolster our Innovation Center (IC), continue to expand our education programs, and further develop our strategic partnerships. 

All of this progress, from building the building, to fostering community and reaching out to inspire makers beyond our walls, is wholly made possible by the generosity of our dedicated volunteers and donors. If Nova Labs plays a big part in your life, or you believe in our mission and want to see us continue to succeed, please consider supporting us this gift-giving season.