Tucson Citizen.com
Carolyn's Community - Our sense of group togetherness and "community" in Tucson

Save the Gloo Factory

by on Dec. 07, 2009, under Arts, Life, Politics

“The Gloo Factory is an independent media center located in the warehouse arts district in Tucson and home to a number of projects, including Feral Press and Peace Supplies. They offer services and education in printing and the graphic arts. Their clients are primarily from Tucson’s progressive community and include labor, environmental, and human rights groups, and political groups and candidates.”

They produce books, newsletters, bumper stickers, signs and banners, t-shirts, etc.

Currently, the Gloo Factory is threatened with eviction from the warehouse it has rented for the last decade, as the building is scheduled to be auctioned by Arizona Dept. of Transportation to the highest bidder.

As a result, they have launched a campaign to raise the funds needed to buy the building in which the Gloo Factory is currently located, in order to continue to serve the community.

Screen printing at The Gloo Factory

Screen printing at The Gloo Factory

Please check their website www.savethegloofactory.org, email founder Dwight Metzler at emeraldpeak@hotmail.com, or call 520-740-8010. Donations can be sent to:

The Gloo Factory
c/o Peace Supplies
P.O. Box 1212
Tucson, AZ 85702-1212

“The Gloo Factory (named for the “gloo” that keeps community together) began almost twenty years ago with the acquisition of two offset printing presses, and has evolved into a significant community resource.” I went to their Cabeza Cerveza fundraising event on Friday night (although I don’t drink beer) to support this group. Please help if you can, as our community needs entrepreneurs like Metzler and this gloo factory.

More in Tucson Life and Heritage:

Where is Isa Celis? Where are her neighbors?

This entry was posted on Monday, December 7th, 2009 at 9:14 am and is filed under Arts, Life, Politics. Tags for this post: , , , , , . You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. Both comments and pings are currently closed.

RSS feed for this post (comments)
  • CK

    Please note when you go to the site, donations should be made out to the for-profit “Peace Supplies” and that the donations are not tax-deductible.

    While the Gloo Factory is listed as a nonprofit, charitable org., one can assume it has not obtained 501(c)3 funding.  It also only organized itself two years ago. So after 10 years, this is how far the org has gotten — it filed paperwork with the ACC in 2008 and renewed in 2009.

    Not exactly a thriving charitable endeavor if you ask me.

     And “threatened with eviction” is quite an emotional appeal, though not really based on fact. Every renter is “threatened with eviction” once the lease is up — or the owner decides to sell. But, gosh, after 10 years, you would think the people running the Gloo Factory might have thought about its future. Makes me wonder who’s really benefitting from the “donations.”

  • Martin

    Dwight is one of the Tucson community’s greatest human resources.  He often prints at cost or for very little profit for people and organizations that otherwise would not be able to afford to get their materials printed.  I have worked for Dwight on and off for over 11 years and have seen the charitable work that he does first hand.   In a world of corporate media, he is one of the few remaining printers with a heart and soul.  He has given a tremendous amount to the community over the 20 years that he has been printing here.  It has been really encouraging to see the community rally behind The Gloo Factory in these difficult times.  Check out http://www.savethegloofactory.org to learn more.  Thanks and see you at the benefits!

  • Colin

    I find Dwight to be one of the most Altruistic, generous, and open minded people I have ever met. He is sweet and soft spoken and would do anything for the people and causes that he loves! Truly passionate, gifted, and selfless people are the most precious social resource I can imagine. We can’t let greed and “progress” obliterate the last remnants of our communities voice. Please everyone give to Dwight now because I promise that in some way shape or form it will come back to you in the future! Save the Gloo Factory! <3

  • Victim of Gloo Nastiness

    Yes, beware hard core hate groups posing as “community” groups – while I support many of the same causes as Gloo Factory, I don’t support the bullies who have used these buildings as their private club houses. While their causes are noble, rest assured this is an elite group of very nasty  thugs, who will beat you (and have beaten people) to a pulp. Supporting this cause may make you one of the popular people in their club, but rest assured you will be ashamed of your affiliation later.

  • Carolyn Classen

    To “Victim of Gloo Nastiness” – to whom are you referring specifically as “an elite group of very nasty thugs” who have “beaten people to a pulp”?  Numerous local artists (43) tonight supported the Gloo Factory at an art exhibition & silent auction at Raices Taller 222 Studio & Gallery.  Hopefully these are not the “popular people in their club” which you are referring to?

  • Randy

    The unbelievable accusations of the above post notwithstanding, I must offer that the whole point of the Gloo Factory is that it is not elite, it exists by and for the good of the community, in particular those whose voices would otherwise be ignored by the mass media and the true elites that dominate Tucson’s urban culture with very little care for anything other than their own gain. There is no shame in being a part of such an essential force for change.

    • Carolyn Classen

      Thanks Randy.  No response to my questions from “Victim of Gloo Nastiness” which comment surprised me– as most people I’ve met (and lots of those artist folks at Raices Taller last night) like Dwight and his hard work.

  • Carolyn Classen

    Dwight Metzler & his Gloo Factory listed as a “local hero” in today’s Tucson Weekly:
    http://www.tucsonweekly.com/tucson/local-heroes/Content?oid=2427919

  • http://www.freemoneyoffers.com.au Competition

    It is really sad to see people that work hard loose their jobs especially in times like this. I urge people to donate if they can because I would appreciate it if the same thng happend to me.

  • http://burstsms.com/web-sms-online online sms

    What is the current situatiom regarding this matter?

    • Carolyn Classen

      Not sure, but I think the Gloo Factory is still operating.  Why don’t you contact Dwight at his email or phone # above?
       

  • dwight metzger

    Thanks to the amazing support of the Tucson community, and a lot of hard work, the Gloo Factory is preparing to move to a new permanent location on 26th St. in South Tucson. We hope to be fully functional there in a couple of months. It has been a great journey getting there and we here at the Gloo Factory are very excited for what is to come. Stay tuned to Carolyn’s Corner for more updates!

    • Carolyn Classen

      Dwight, thanks for the update and good news.  By the way, you’re the 2nd person to refer to my blogsite as Carolyn’s Corner instead of “Carolyn’s Community.”  Maybe I should reconsider the name. (ha ha)

«
»