Open Hours:

The open hours for the public are 4:00 pm to 7:00 pm every Wednesday for the 2025- 26 school year, beginning  September 3, 2025 and running through May 27th, 2026. The Fab Lab will be open during summer break. In some cases during the school year, we have to cancel our community nights.  This could be due to bad weather, staff illness, or holidays.  In addition, some dates are reserved for community workshops and will not be open for general use. Therefore, always be sure to call the school and check if the Fab Lab is open prior to your visit by calling 715-473-2592 ext. 3447.

To schedule a date and time, please email, call, or message Brian Van Eperen (info below).

Special events are on the following dates:

Fab Lab will be closed October 8th, November 12th/26th, December24th/31st, February 18th, and March 25th.

To reserve your seat:

-Call 715-473-2592 ext. 3447 or 

-E-mail Brian Van Eperen at bvaneperen@wabeno.k12.wi.us, place "Please Reserve" in the subject line or

-Message on FaceBook, "Wabeno School Fab Lab and Shop"

Three weeks ago, local nurse practitioner Peggy Christianson felt a need to help her community. She brought together people for a mission: mask the Northwoods towns of Lakewood, Townsend, and the surrounding area to meet the needs of patients during the COVID-19 Crisis.

She saw the handwriting on the wall: the area was woefully short of PPE (personal protective equipment). She feared this would be a problem for both essential businesses that needed to stay open and for those who needed their services. She knew hospitals were working to find sources to obtain PPE, but small towns didn’t have those connections and weren’t yet aware of the need. 

Christianson decided to use Facebook to send out a message asking for help. Within a few days, Community Health Mask Makers was established. Over 100 volunteers stepped forward; cutting, sewing, and delivering masks. Volunteers were organized into groups led by head seamstress Roxanne Wieland, procurement master Julie Palmer, head of delivery Kathy Jensen, business-contact coordinator Ann Hogan, master data collector Ashley Griffith, and fundraiser Mike VandeWalle. 

Community members began donating fabric, thread, elastic, pipe cleaners, anything and everything needed, though some hard-to-find supplies had to be purchased. As of April 15, over a thousand masks have been made and delivered to local businesses such as nursing homes, assisted living facilities, grocery stores, gas stations, and food pantry workers. To make the cloth masks as close to surgical masks as possible, HEPA filters cut from vacuum cleaner bags were put inside. 

Soon, Christianson found a design for a 3D printed mask posted on Facebook by a clinic out west. She forwarded the design to Brian Van Eperen, FabLab Director at Wabeno High School, and Pat Lowery, retired WHS teacher currently working part-time for the DPI. Brian and Pat set out to see what they could do. Pat sent an email to high school and technical college teachers all across the state. Some of them have 3D printers at home; they started immediately making plastic masks. Soon the schools themselves began printing masks which serve as an amazing solution to the critical surgical mask shortage. 

At the present time, 20 schools throughout Wisconsin are making 3D masks that not only replace the surgical masks but can be reused. They have gone to police departments, fire departments, EMS personnel, and hospitals. Some schools are working directly with facilities in their area. Locally Crandon (Willy Krause) and Wabeno High School (Brian Van Eperen) are fiercely making masks at their sites. Roger Kieffer, Waukesha, has used his home 3D printer to help the cause.

Many in the community who were unable to help with production contributed money. Over $8000 has already been raised to support the effort. Amazed by the response, Peggy says: “We will put our heads together to figure out where best to send any excess funds when all of this is over.”

As the need grows, so does the effort: “Recently we learned of a critical need of two hospital systems that many of our community members use for care,” Peggy said. “We teamed up to send masks to Wisconsin Face Mask Warriors to help get those critical needs met. And, of course, we are still working to mask the Northwoods.”

Written requests for masks can be dropped off at Nicolet Pharmacy in Lakewood or left in the drop-off area between the Bellin Health office and Nicolet Pharmacy. Open hours are Monday through Saturday; 1:00-2:00 p.m. 

Businesses are welcome to request masks as well. Peggy is very grateful for the outpouring of community support for masking the Northwoods, She reiterates the sound medical advice that should help everyone stay safe: “Wash your hands, don’t touch your face, and practice personal distancing.”