New children’s museum campaign receives sizable pledge

WILTON – The Berry family of Farmington has pledged $150,000 in the campaign to raise funding towards opening a new children’s museum. In order to receive the grant award, to be administered through the family’s Sandy River Charitable Foundation, a match of $350,000 in donations from other sources will need to be raised toward the renovation of the new Western Maine Play Museum building on Main Street.

Efforts to raise a total of $750,000 for the new children’s museum to be located in the former York family home in downtown Wilton, were launched last summer. Of the fund raising campaign’s goal of $750,000, an estimated $500,000 is pegged for building renovations, $200,000 for exhibits and furnishings and $50,000 for an outdoor green space.

More than $90,000 in pledges, cash donations and in-kind support have been received so far. Organizers hope to open the museum’s doors later this year.

In a statement released this week by the museum’s board of directors thanked the Berry family.

“The museum greatly appreciates the Berry family’s faith in the goals and vision of this project, and hopes that the generosity of the Sandy River Charitable Foundation will inspire other potential donors to similarly commit to making the museum a reality this year.”

The board is also launching an appeal for 10,000 families living in western Maine to each consider making a donation of $25 towards the museum. Using recent census data, organizers figure that about 7,500 families in Franklin County, 15,000 in Oxford County, 14,000 families in Somerset County, and 27,000 families in Androscoggin County, for a total of more than 63,000 families.

“If only a small percentage of these working families make a one-time donation of $25, more if they can afford it, the $250,000 the museum hopes to raise with this appeal would allow them to begin reconstruction work on their building,” according to the board’s release.

Museum design plans include several themed rooms, such as a nature room for rotating exhibits on biology, agriculture and more; a room dedicated to building forts and other constructions, with a variety of materials; a smart room that features a permanent exhibit using interactive technology; a gathering room for special events like birthday parties next to a kitchen, which will also be used for food labs. Also in the plans is a play village, a two-story play space with a grocery store, doctor’s office, diner, and other “Main Street” attractions. A magnet room, infant and toddler room, a dark room, a trains room and invention room are also in the plans.

The museum board members and volunteers have also launched a direct-mailing financial support appeal to over 3,000 area families. For those who don’t receive one of their yellow envelopes in the mail, contributions may be made through the museum website or mailed directly to the museum: WMPM, PO Box 1161, Wilton, Maine 04294. Pledges are also welcome, in the event that a family would like to support the museum, but need to defer donating immediately, or need to donate in intervals over a period of time. For more information, contact Lori Lewis 645-3945.