Training isn’t always hands on, education starts with the 3 L’s:
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LOOK
Looking is the first part of any successful preservation project.
Documenting the initial conditions before you start any work allows you to prepare for: costs, tools, PPE’s, timing… even the unknown.
Seeing the gaps in what you don’t know (but need to find out) is key.
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LISTEN
Listening should be a two-way experience.
As a student, actively listen to be introduced to new skills.
As a trainer, actively listen to questions to fine tune your explanations to fit the needs of people who want to learn.
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LEARN
Learning happens if you’ve looked and listened well.
A good training session should present tasks that appeal to multiple senses. Some learn by watching, others by doing and still others by talking about what they see and hear. A varied curriculum means more people learn and are engaged.
Contact us about tours, classes and presentations.
The 3 L’s in Practice
C.A.R.E. Full SPONSORSHIP
Professional Glass Installations, Oakland, CA
LeRoy Brock and Melvin Rucker, owners of PGI (Professional Glass Installations) are the first recipients of The Fillet Foundation’s “C.A.R.E. Full” Sponsorship in Safety.
What was Shared:
PGI approached us about how they could learn more about making their work environment safe for their clients and themselves. We paired them with Nzilani Glass, which was hosting asbestos and lead worker certification classes in West Oakland where both companies are based. When PGI had a hard time deciding which class they would choose, The Fillet Foundation offered to sponsor them in the lead class so they could take both and have a firm foundation of safety in all future jobs.
“Thank you for your generous offer. We sincerely appreciate the opportunity. We're grateful for your interest and investment in our education and more importantly - our health and safety and that of anyone who works with us.” - PGI
As a direct result of their lead and asbestos worker certifications, PGI was able to successfully assist in removal of stained glass from Glide Memorial in SF.
This experience has allowed them to expand their services.
Ventana Elementary School
Los Altos, CA
The school uses the Sanctuary of Christ Episcopal Church. When our sister company completed an extensive survey of the dalle de verre windows in the building, the Fillet Foundation offered to do a class for the elementary school students.
What was Shared:
We encouraged the children to look at the dalle de verre windows and then share their discoveries. We answered questions about fabrication and preservation and explained how the students could contribute to taking care of buildings in their community.
Students’ partial list of questions after looking at the windows:
Is stained glass non-metal?
How is stained glass made?
Is stained glass sharp?
Public Window Preservation
Training Session
Astoria, OR
A free, window preservation course open to the public on a weekend.
What was Shared:
We brought an old, single pane window to the site and demonstrated how to remove and reinstall the glass. We also touched on safety training while doing this work. The class was informal allowing people to ask questions about their individual home window renovation projects. At the end, people were invited to try to replicate actions that were demonstrated at the beginning of the course.
The experience lead to invitations to teach at the Clatsop Community College, Historic Preservation Department & to be part of the Window Preservation Alliance (WPA) Annual Conference in Astoria: March 13th to Saturday, March 15th, 2025.
Mount Zion Black Cultural Center
Athens, OH
We paired with a woman-owned preservation company based in Columbus, Ohio to train her team specifically in stained glass site work.
What was Shared:
We applied our 30+ years of knowledge to safely remove stained glass windows that were over 100 years old from a historic church. Directing the team to adhere to “hazmat” safety protocols lead directly to increased workforce development, additional preservation of historic buildings in Ohio and greater potential in state revenue.
After the removal process they wrote:
"...another big thank you to you for getting us into the abatement realm. Our state has a tax credit program for homeowners and millions of dollars in lead abatement work through HUD and the Department of Development (that) I never knew about. The State Health Department is even funding all the training so it isn't costing us anything aside from payroll to attend… (as a result) our whole company is getting abatement certified. Of course the state had no idea our kind of work existed, but agreed it would be acceptable under the program terms so it's a win for preservation AND lead safety and another tool in our tool belt for marketing as well."
Design Museum Everywhere
San Francisco, CA
An evening presentation as part of the Design Museum's Inclusive Design Stories
What was Shared:
We shared approaches about who and what are worthy projects to preserve. We also challenged the audience to envision the type of person who is qualified to do this work. The CoDesign Collaborative (formerly Design Museum Everywhere), is a 15-year-old nonprofit whose mission is to inspire social change through the transformative power of design.