WILTON – Western Maine Play Museum is moving towards its goal to raise nearly $750,000 in order to open its doors in the summer of 2015. The most recent advancement was selection of campaign co-chairs, Lori Lewis and Michael Cormier, who will be providing leadership to their fundraising efforts. Both are excited about the opportunity.
“As co-chair of the capital campaign, it will be a pleasure for me to continue to tell the WMPM story, to elicit support in the community, and to share my enthusiasm for this worthy cause,” Lewis said. Cormier added, “I look forward to working with folks and making this dream a reality.”
Both Lewis and Cormier are well-known and respected figures in the RSU 9 educational community. Lewis, who holds a master’s degree from the University of Illinois, has taught both English and American Sign Language at Mt. Blue High School for 35 years. She currently teaches part-time at the University of Maine at Farmington and keeps her ASL skills fresh by acting as interpreter for local events such as graduations and story hour at the library.
Cormier has dedicated 42 years to public education, most recently as superintendent of RSU 9, also known as Mt. Blue Regional School District. Having served as a teacher, principal, and superintendent of two other districts, Cormier came to western Maine in 1993 and spent the next 20 years overseeing SAD 9. During his tenure here, he was instrumental in the reconfiguration of schools to an RSU, expand to include the town of Starks, and initiate a $64 million expansion and renovation of the high school. In 2013, he stepped down from this position and now teaches part-time through the University of Maine System.
Cormier and Lewis, both of Wilton, are ready to include Western Maine Play Museum in the next phase of their careers. Originally conceived by Wilton resident Angela McLeod, WMPM now has a board of 13 directors, on which Lewis currently serves. As a registered non-profit, WMPM has set the goal of raising $750,000 in order to renovate a 4,500 square foot property donated to the museum and to furnish it with interactive and educational exhibits designed to give local kids an opportunity to play and learn at the same time.
“What an opportunity for the children in our area to have a place where they will be able to explore, learn, and have fun,” Cormier said. “It is an honor to be asked to co-chair the fundraising effort on behalf of the Western Maine Play Museum.”
“I’ve been inspired by the commitment and generosity I’ve seen from the many WMPM volunteers on the board and in the community, and I’m honored to be part of this project,” Lewis said.
Community members interested in supporting this project should see the WMPM website for donation options or email them at westernmaineplay@gmail.com. Project updates can be found at www.facebook.com/WesternMainePlayMuseum and at www.westernmaineplay.org.
This well planned, ambitious project will not only benefit area children but will provide a much needed visitor attraction for families statewide and beyond…a boon for the town of Wilton and all of Franklin County!
And these two highly respected educators are the perfect community leaders needed to assist the energetic, hard working organizers of WMPM.
Hopefully the boon to the town will result in the opening of a convenience store on Main St. I have to drive clear down to Dryden just to buy a six pack…
Thanks, Nancy! We appreciate your excitement! We’re in the midst of an online voting contest to win our own Imagination Playground, so please take a minute and vote for Western Maine Play Museum! (I won’t hold my breath on Gary voting)
http://www.imaginationplayground.com/vote-for-an-imagination-playground.html
To Angela,
I have voted every day…it is easy and fun.
And, I really want to play with those materials with my grandchildren!
Let me know how I can help!
There are so many ways to help and it really depends on what works for you. You can volunteer to participate on a planning committee, or for a specific event (a painting day, a clean up day, etc), you can support us by following our progress on Facebook, you can donate or buy a brick on our website (or naming rights!), or connect us to folks who have the ability to support us with in-kind donations or major support. Some folks see our old building and think, “Oy, what a headache!” We look at it and think that we are RICH with donation opportunities–labor, materials, small projects, large projects, we’ve got them all! Feel free to email me if you have any questions or suggestions: angelamcleod78@gmail.com
So pleased that Lori and Mike Cormier are representing WMPM as we further the work that will provide learning through play for children, parents, schools and grandparents in all the communities in Franklin County and those counties close to us! I have been amazed with the many miracles the board has seen since our formal start last November! We can all remember working so hard on something to make it work and the feeling that success brought! This is the learning that stays with us throughout our lives and this is the kind of learning we hope to provide! Dig deep, friends! Play it Forward!!!!
How sad is it that Gary is more concerned about where he can buy a six-pack than being excited about what a great opportunity this is for the town of Wilton and its youth? I guess I shouldn’t expect much more out of people, but I can still hope.
Bravo to those involved in this project for having a vision of something great and taking the initiative to actually make something happen! These two educators one of which I had as a teacher and the other who handed me my High School diploma more than 15 years ago are great choices to lead this funding campaign!
Gary is just looking for attention….stop giving it to him!