AARON RAY-DYKSTRA, 36 / Executive Director, The Making Foundation
A veteran of the U.S. Air Force, Aaron Ray-Dykstra founded the Making Foundation in 2016, a nonprofit that is home to the Maker Mart, a school for kids from all walks of life to learn about creating and building. Today, the Maker Mart is rich with students, after-school programs, adult classes and summer camps; over 400 students come from underserved communities and have learned to work with their hands and broaden their horizons for success. Ray-Dykstra is a trained blacksmith and certified bench jeweler and has presented on education panels across the state (including VDOE, 21st Century and Virginia School Board Association). “Being able to work with young folks that may have had a tough go of it, and show them what they are capable of and the impact they can make in this community is endlessly rewarding and contagious,” he says. “…Showing a person that they are capable of something that they didn’t ever realize has an incredible lasting impact and I feel lucky I get to share that.”
- A veteran of the US Air Force, served in Operation Enduring Freedom as part of the 94th Fighter Squadron and was the youngest service member in Al Udeid Air Base, Qatar
- A graduate of the most prestigious school for bike making in the country (Studied under famed Japanese framebuilder, Koichi Yamaguchi)
- A graduate of the Chicago School of Woodworking
- A trained blacksmith and a certified bench jeweler
- Presented on education panels across state (including VDOE, 21st Century, Virginia School Board Association)
- Big Brother through the Big Brother/Big Sisters organization
- Volunteer at the West End Center
From the Nomination: “Aaron Ray-Dykstra is the consummate example of a young person making a difference in the Roanoke Valley. He left home at 17 to join the Air Force. After graduation … Ray-Dykstra was highly successful and brought national and international recognition to the Roanoke Valley as the owner of Six Eleven Bicycle Co. … The marketing of Roanoke as an outdoor destination was just beginning and Aaron was instrumental in exposing the valley as a beautiful place to live and play. In September 2016, he decided his true calling in life was to help kids learn the beauty, joy and self-esteem that comes from creating things by hand [with The Making Foundation.] There are plenty of enrichment options for kids out there, but there’s not a lot of enrichment that’s been done through the focus of long-term workforce development. That is the real need in our community and society at large. Ray-Dykstra’s vision, passion and belief inspire all of those who know him to see the future as a world of possibilities that can be achieved.”
What do you love about Roanoke?
Ray-Dykstra: “Roanoke provides the ability to actually make a difference here in this community. I lived in NYC and Chicago prior to moving back to Roanoke, and while the big cities definitely have their perks, being in a region like Roanoke allows the opportunity to actually get things accomplished. I moved to Roanoke to start a business and was fully embraced by the community. I had an idea to start a nonprofit and had the support of the community to make it a reality. The folks in this community genuinely care about making it a better place and are encouraging success every step along the way. Living in Roanoke motivates me to be more of a maker than a taker.”
