Donate – Discover! Children’s Museum

what our supporters say

My late brother, Orin, was a huge supporter of education and believed it was the best path to providing greater opportunities for our children. He also believed that through quality education we could improve Lewis County’s future economic development.

Before he died in 2018, he committed to supporting Discover! Children’s Museum. We are in favor of supporting Discover! Children’s Museum because we are confident that their commitment to providing quality early learning programs is a priority.

Our family understands that organizations offering after school programs, quality pre-school programs, and the combination that Discover! Children’s Museum will offer is critical for the “continuum of education”. Extending this continuum to include ages birth to five years will greatly enhance the future of our community.

Kevin Smith

Orin C. Smith Family Foundation

We live in an area that has a lot of rain. During the cold winter months, we believe that our community needs a place where children can be safe inside having fun while they are learning. During the pilot program of the Discover! Children’s Museum, our two grandchildren would beg to go there.

We now have seven grandchildren and we are looking forward to taking them all to the new children’s museum.We support this project because it is definitely needed in our community. We also believe that in their new location, Discover! Children’s Museum will become a family destination.

Kirsten and Gary Klein

Retired Business Owners

Chehalis, WA

Prior to kindergarten, children ages birth to 5 learn through play. We need more opportunities for kids to be involved in preschools. We need them to have opportunities to participate in Children’s Museums, like the Discover! Children’s Museum. These are places where they play and learn. It is so very important that children can start school ready to learn.

Mary Lou Bissett

Retired Assistant Superintendent

Chehalis School District

As representatives of the financial leadership in our community, we share a relationship with many residents here in Lewis County. At TwinStar, we pride ourselves on having a keen understanding of what our community needs since we are a not-for-profit cooperative owned by the very people we serve.Deciding to support Discover! Children’s Museum was an easy choice for the TwinStar Community Foundation.

The TwinStar Community Foundation supports kids in a number of ways–from providing food to at-risk teens, to scholarships and a variety of kid’s enrichment activities. We know that the ability for children to succeed in school is closely linked to their early learning experiences. Discover! Children’s Museum will give kids in our area a strong start and help ensure they are prepared for their futures.

Corinn Wohl

Director of Community Engagement

TwinStar Credit Union

Investing in our children and families is one of the most beneficial investments we can make as a community. Welcoming the Discover! Children’s Museum is an exciting addition for our county. The research around the value of early learning, especially play based learning, is strong. Having a place in our community where children will have the opportunity to explore, imagine, discover, create, interact, build, and problem solve will contribute to children’s’ development having lasting positive impacts for our children, families, and the community.

Kristy Vetter

Executive Director of Teaching and Learning

Centralia District

The Discover! Children’s Museum will be a safe environment for the children of our community to expand in their learning, creativity, and knowledge. Through the nurturing of their minds and imagination, they will be better prepared for the challenges they will encounter in their formal education. We are fortunate to have the supportive partnership between our community and the museum in order to ensure a brighter future for our children.

Robert R. Snaza

Sheriff

Lewis County

As a provider of preschool services through the Head Start program we recognize and see, every day, the impact that activities like those provided by the Children’s Museum can do. The educational possibilities and advantages that children gain by exposure to the incredible variety of activities found at the children’s museum are endless. Making this available as part of their everyday education can provide very positive feedback to educators teaching early childhood learning concepts. Children need exposure to as many new ideas and experiences as possible and parents need to see what’s possible for their child. Discover! Children’s museum can address both.

Brett Mitchell

Executive Director

Reliable Industries of Lewis County

creating futures

By helping children understand the world around them, we help them understand themselves. We hope that every child in our area has the chance to grow into a confident, and capable member of our community. And with your generous support, we can help make this a reality.

For questions please contact:
Larry McGee, Campaign Lead
Text: 360-269.5180
Email: larry@DiscoverMuseum.org

Donate Now

supporters and partners

Thank you to all of our supporters and partners. Without them we would not be so close to realizing a permanent home for such an important community asset. We have spent several years in development with our supporters and partners and would encourage you to see who in our community is sharing our vision for the future. Also, learn more about the important work of our partners in education.

Click here to see our supporters and partners.

why donate?

Discover! Children’s Museum is a key partner of the United Learning Center. The partners are the City of Centralia, the Early Learning Center, and the Boys and Girls Club. The Discover! Children’s Museum will be located at Pearl and Maple in downtown Centralia in the new complex that will be housing all partners.

Research and facts prove that a children’s museum, combined with quality early learning programs, and after school programs, will provide lifelong benefits for children and their community. The combination of our hands-on interactive exhibits, the early learning center, and after-school programs will allow kids to learn through play. We promise to provide these benefits and go beyond by operating a mobile outreach program to Lewis County school kids who do not have the means to visit the museum.

What the research and facts tell us…

A substantial percentage of Lewis County children lack the resources for healthy physical and mental development. One-fifth of children under age six live in poverty, and nearly half of all children face one or more risk factors associated with gaps in school readiness.

WA State / Report Card

In Lewis County nearly 70% of our kids enter school not ready for kindergarten. Without early learning these kids start school with an opportunity gap that continues to grow throughout their school years and follows them the rest of their lives.

Office of Superintendent of Public Instruction (OSPI)

Children’s museums with incorporated early learning programs are a strong resource for improving kindergarten readiness.

Association of Children’s Museums

For every $1 invested in early learning we can expect an average of $10 back into our community. Parents will be able to work or continue their education.

Center for High Impact Philanthropy

We can drive real economic change, attract new businesses, and become a family destination with our new location and the development opportunities surrounding it.

Association of Children’s Museums

Students who lack the skillset expected of a 5-year old in math and literacy are more than 30% less likely to meet standards on 3rd grade math and ELA SBA.

WA Kids Data Brief