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June 2015
Forklift Fan-Mail
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CONTACT US:
301-985-5180
OPEN:
Monday-Sunday
9am-6pm
And now open later on Wednesday
& Friday:
9am-7pm
Please drop off donations at least a half hour before closing!
HOW TO:
Get here
Donate materials
Donate money
Share project photos
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Dear Forklift Fans,
May is a time to make plans for the summer, but June is for...well, making! This year, the White House announced "A Week of Making", a new initiative following upon the footsteps of last year's Maker Faire, which involved 100 Makers from more than 25 states, and included more than 30 exhibits.
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Between June 12-18, President Obama has asked that "every company, every college, every community, every citizen join us as we lift up makers and builders and doers across the country."
We will neither confirm nor deny the President's frequent visits to Community Forklift, but we will confirm that we are partnering with the National Building Museum to bring you " Tinker City" where you can meet fellow makers between 1-3pm on Saturday, June 13th. Join all ages and experience levels to create a collective model of an imaginative metropolis. Several of the objects used are from Community Forklift.
Here are some active inventors using Forklift materials, and a kind note from one of the organizers:
Just wanted to let you know that we had a terrific Toy Design Challenge launch event on Saturday, and the materials we acquired from Community Forklift helped make it an amazing day. We had a mixed materials section, which we outfitted with a lot of your supplies and we also activated our small wood shop with wood we got from CF.
From this design challenge, we are hoping to inspire more young people to explore STEM and arts in a unique way. We'll be back for more very soon!
Thanks for your support,
Claire
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Know any job seekers?
Spread the word!
On Saturday June 20th,
from 2-5pm, Prince George's County will host its first annual Green Job Fair. Sponsored by Prince George's Department of the Environment, Prince Georges Green, Jobs Have Priority,
and Community Forklift, the event will highlight opportunities to build up our green economy and establish a strong economic base that promotes our environment and local community.
Head over to Vigilante Coffee in Hyattsville to meet with organizations like Community Cleanwater Managment Group, Grace Management & Construction, Shepherd Energy, MD Sun, Corvias Solutions, PGDOE, Love & Carrots, Eco-City Farms, Green Drop, and Grid Alternatives. Find out what employment opportunities are available and start on the path of your own green career! No RSVP necessary, and childcare will be provided on a case by case basis.
If your organization promotes social, environmental and economic sustainability, and you'd like to be involved, please fill out the employer form, and we'll be in touch! The fee for vendor participation is $40.00 for for-profit businesses and government agencies, and $20.00 for nonprofit organizations.
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We're bringing family-friendly to
Forklift First Fridays
On June 5th, 2015,
from 6-8pm, we're doing it again: we're staying open late to throw a party and this time, bring on the kids!
Joe's Movement Emporium will be here to entertain our little Forklift Fans with Latin dance and jump rope, brought to you by Jessica Quiroz and Casi York. Kids and parents can explore creative jump roping and the fun steps, hops and shakes of bachata, merengue and salsa. This is a free service by Joe's, but donations are welcome.
We'll also be joined by Indie Folk group The Iris Bell.
Since 2013, The Iris Bell have crafted a distinctive style of folksy Americana with lush harmonies, a variety of instruments, and a generous helping of barrel-aged American whiskey. The band is a combination of veterans and newcomers to the DC music scene, melding a range of backgrounds, experiences, and influences into original songs that have been performed at farmers markets, festivals, and local clubs.
Enjoy $3.50 craft beer and wine from Town Center Market and eat the best Banh Mi sandwich on this side of the river from
PhoWheels offers a modern interpretation of traditional Vietnamese cuisine, where comforting favorite dishes blend seamlessly with bold new flavors that will entice your palate. Vietnamese cuisine like you've never experienced before! Not just a Pho Truck! Forealz!
That's not all! We will have three artists from local Hyattsville displaying & selling their art: Diane Elliott, Sally Ann Rogers, and Adrienne Price. All three artists are members of the Hyattsville Community Arts Alliance.
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Potty Parity:
Forklift Fans from Afar Can Access an Array of Vintage Toilets Online
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Taking a bathtub break between scrubbing and packing fixtures is allowed at the Forklift.
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by Elizabeth McGowan
Signet McCallister was so thrilled when she spied the pink vintage toilet at Community Forklift that she couldn't form words. All she could do was lift her hands to her face and emit a joyful yelp.
In early spring, she had ordered a pair of toilets-one pink, the other yellow-via the nonprofit's listings on eBay. But instead of waiting for Matt Menke, the Forklift's special projects coordinator, to ship them, she drove three hours from her 1880 home in Hampton, Va., to pick them up in Edmonston.
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Donated sinks and other vintage bathroom fixtures come in a rainbow of colors.
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McCallister's expression and persistence confirmed what Menke had hoped was true: that Forklift fans from afar, especially those renovating historic homes, are elated to have online access to a veritable rainbow of donated vintage toilets. It's all part of the Forklift's recent efforts to move more inventory by beefing up its digital offerings. The longer the treasured toilets sat on the warehouse floor, the more likely they were to be cracked or chipped.
That's what prompted Menke to become the chief commode cleaner, crater and wrangler.
"Big-box stores mainly sell white toilets, so for somebody who wants a boutique bathroom or something a little different, this is it," Menke says about the Forklift's pilot program. "The right person will find it and get the toilet of their dreams." Read more...
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FREE WORKSHOPS
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DIY Masonry Retaining Walls
Saturday, June 6th, 2PM-3PM
Come on by and learn to build masonry retaining walls! This class will be covering everything from preparation and supplies to tools, equipment and techniques. Folks of all levels of experience are welcome and encouraged to attend.
 This workshop will include a question and answer session for all attendees as well as an opportunity to get specific project advice from the experts!
GL Barnhart Construction is a home repair and small construction company with three main focus areas: carpentry, masonry, and iron/steel work. Quality, responsiveness, and great customer service are among our top priorities.
Started in 1997 as a father and son business focusing on home improvement and small commercial renovations, today the company focuses on modern renovations, historic restorations, and construction work in the Capitol Hill area of Washington, DC.
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FREE WORKSHOP:
DIY Concrete Counter Top or Umbrella Stand
Sunday, June 7, 2pm-3pm
Have you ever wanted to use concrete as a medium, but just didn't know where to start? Learn to work with concrete so you can start to use it more comfortably. We will learn to create molds that can work for counter tops, umbrella stands, or planters. Learn the process from the first steps to the final product.
Ryan has been working on projects since he was 8 years old, when he joined his dad on weekend projects. He has grown to love working with wood, concrete and patio pavers focusing on reusing or repurposing used materials. He has transformed his house into a home one project at a time.
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FREE WORKSHOP:
Carpenter's Pro Tips and Tricks for the Home DIYer
Saturday, June 13, 2pm-3pm
Gary Barnhart is back with an introduction to home carpentry, focusing on preparation, safety, tools, planning, and execution of manageable and useful projects around the house.
*** Please note that loud power tools will be demonstrated during this workshop. Please bring ear protection if you feel it is necessary.
Join Gary Barnhart from GL Barnhart, a father and son business focusing on home improvement and small commercial renovations. The company focuses on modern renovations, historic restorations, and construction work in the Capitol Hill area of Washington, DC.
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FREE Workshop:
Top Home Improvements for Adding the Most Value to your Home
Saturday, June 27, 2pm-3pm
Learn about the top home improvement projects that will add the most value to your home. Topics will include both updates to your home's interior as well as the exterior curb appeal. You'll also get helpful home maintenance tips that will help you maintain your home's features and systems. Learn from local contractors and one of the area's top producing real estate agents.
Robyn Porter recently purchased a farm as a second home. The farm pre-dates 1846 and the farmhouse was once a log-cabin. She has been restoring the home, giving it contemporary comforts yet keeping historic details. Her home renovations combined with her extensive real estate experience give her a keen perspective on home improvements and maintenance.
As a licensed REALTOR with more than 11 years experience, Robyn helps people make sense of the home buying and selling process. The Internet and social networks offer people vast resources of advice and information on homes for sale, pricing, neighborhoods, and more. But how to use that information to buy or sell a home is often confusing. Robyn helps people interpret the timelines, checklists, and charts to determine how it applies to a specific home buyer or seller. This helps her clients make informed decisions when faced with many real estate choices. Robyn is a consistent Top Producer with W.C. & A.N. Miller's Bethesda, Maryland All-Points office. She is ranked #4 company-wide in total number of settled transactions in 2014.
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OTHER COMMUNITY HAPPENINGS
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The Compost Crew, a food waste recycling service that has been servicing DC and the surrounding parts of Montgomery Co for the past 4 years, is finally coming to Northern Virginia! The mission is simple: to close the food loop by diverting nutrients from landfills and back to the local land, reducing our collective environmental impact. 
The Compost Crew will launch their service in NoVA when they reach 150 households, and they are already more than half way there! By pre-registering for their service now, you are bringing the Virginia launch date that much closer. You will also get a free kitchen caddy to complement the service and make your life easier.
Please contact Mallory(at)TheCompostCrew.com with any questions.
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June Specials
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$5 Sinks are FREE this month
Our sink aisle is overflowing, so throughout June, all sinks marked with $5 orange tags are yours for zero dollars. Yes, free! While supplies last. Items with missing or damaged price tags are not part of the giveaway.
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50% Off Orange-Tag Windows
Windows and sashes with orange tags are half off this month! This sale does not include items with missing or damaged price tags, doors with glass, select specialty items, leaded or wavy glass panes, or items from our consigment partners. Cannot be combined with other sales.
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25% Off Vintage Windows
Including Wavy Glass Sashes
Take 25% off the blue tag price on windows and sashes, including vintage windows with wavy glass. Sale does not include items wiht missing or damaged price tags, doors with glass, select specialty items, or items from our consignment partners. Cannot be combined with other sales.
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And because you made it to the very end...
30% STOREWIDE SALE
THIS WEEKEND ONLY
Saturday, 5/30 thru Monday, 6/1/2015
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See you at the warehouse soon!
Your friends at the Forklift |
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