When the Roundtree office in Santa Cruz was demolished, it seemed like the end of an era. For decades, the site had been a place where Hope Services provided programs, community, and purpose. But thanks to the creativity of Facilities Maintenance Technician Matthew Bandfield, Roundtree’s story didn’t end with rubble. Instead, its legacy was reborn in the form of music.

In the 1960s, Hope Services began offering programs in Santa Cruz at the Roundtree location. The site sat on three acres of coastal land, complete with a barn and sweeping views. According to the original lease with Santa Cruz County, the property had to be returned without improvements, so when the lease ended, the county demolished the building.

That’s when Mitchell Koblis, Director of Facilities, called on Facilities Maintenance Technician Matthew Bandfield with an unusual idea: could the wood from the demolished building be repurposed?

For Matt, the answer was a resounding yes.

Matt joined Hope in 2020 after a life-changing event. He had previously worked for Google and other tech companies, but after losing his home in the CZU Lightning Complex fire, he needed to rebuild his life. His wife, Megan O’Mahoney, Quality Assurance and Compliance Manager at the Counseling Center, encouraged him to apply at Hope. Since then, he’s found purpose and fulfillment in his work.

Woodworking has always been in Matt’s blood. He grew up helping his father in the family garage workshop, later took shop class in high school, and has continued to build pieces with personal meaning ever since. After losing his home, he even crafted all his own furniture. “Woodworking has always been a passion of mine,” he says. So when Mitchell called, he was eager to take on the challenge of giving Roundtree new life.

But the question remained: what should he create?

Matt is also a lifelong musician. Originally a drummer, he switched to bass guitar in grade school when drums proved too expensive. He has now played bass for 35 years, performing with his band, Campbell Dynamite Truck, for over two decades. With more than 100 original songs under their belt, music has been his constant. It was only natural, then, that Roundtree would become a bass guitar.

This is the twelfth bass Matt has built, though it was no easy feat. The aged wood was cracked and brittle, requiring hours of painstaking repair with superglue. “The wood has character,” Matt explains. And while the instrument is priceless in terms of labor, what matters most is the history embedded in it.

The final product is a precision bass, an octave lower than a standard guitar. “It sounds punchy and meaty,” Matt says proudly.

Music runs in the family. His children also play mandolin, guitar, and bass. With encouragement from his wife, Matt decided to gift the Roundtree bass guitar to Hope Services.

The gesture is symbolic. Matt remembers Roundtree as a place where participants found purpose and direction. Through his craftsmanship, that legacy continues, transformed into music that people can move and dance to.

In many ways, the Roundtree bass reflects Hope Services’ mission today: transforming creativity and the arts into opportunities for people with disabilities and mental health needs. Just as music brings rhythm and joy to our lives, Hope Services creates spaces for purpose and expression.

Roundtree may be gone, but thanks to Matt’s vision, its spirit will play on for generations to come.