The Discover! Children’s Museum has largely remained out of the news since its wildly successful pilot phase in 2014.
That’s because leaders and supporters of the effort have been working behind the scenes to raise the funds necessary to bring a permanent location to fruition.
As detailed in a recent story in The Chronicle, the group has commitments of $450,000 at the local level, a sizeable contribution even when compared to the lofty sum of about $3.4 million needed to build the 18,000 square-foot museum and get the facility operational.
The next step was the Legislature, which doled out millions of dollars to local projects ranging from the Willapa Trail to the Pearl Street Pool, but couldn’t find an allocation for Discover! Children’s Museum in Chehalis.
The group’s dedicated leaders are taking sensible steps to bring the dream to fruition despite the legislative setback.
Efforts are now underway to apply for as many grants as possible.
“We will submit, before the smoke blows over, probably 25 to 30 grant requests. And those range from $10,000 to $500,000,” Advisory Group board member Larry McGee told The Chronicle.
“They’re all over the map.”
Only after $1 million has been secured will Discover! organizers appeal to the public in a coordinated fundraising campaign.
The course of action represents a wise and measured strategy that reflects the well-executed steps of supporters so far.
The value and promise of Discover! Children’s Museum was proven unequivocally during its 2014 pilot run, which was extended due in part to its popularity. “More than 14,600 adults and children from 72 ZIP codes paid for admission to the museum, nearly tripling projected attendance,” according to our recent update on the effort.
When it’s time to begin raising money from the public, residents can rest assured they are contributing to a project that has already proven its worth.
Organizers have shown responsibility and discipline in taking a step-by-step approach to accumulating necessary funds.
As a letter writer pointed out in Saturday’s edition, there is much to be happy about when it comes to this innovative offering for youth across the region.
While the absence of updates in the press is largely tied to the intended strategy of supporters, we look forward to a time in the not-so-distant future when this newspaper can herald the arrival of a permanent Discover! Children’s Museum.
Visit discovermuseum.org to learn more about this exciting project fueled by the Chehalis Renaissance.
