Children’s Discovery Museum plans
shift to Science Center
By Barbara Scott
Staff Writer
CARIBOU — After five and a half years of grant writing, volunteering, hosting the biggest Chocolate Festival around, championing local children as they participated in countless games and educational challenges; after pursuing hands-on learning exhibits that would create a mystifying and enticing environment for Aroostook County youth (and adults) combining education and play, efforts to create the Caribou Children’s Discovery Museum have taken a new direction.
Following a lengthy board meeting earlier in January, during which founder Nancy Chandler and the rest of the CCDM board of directors discussed the reality of continuing with their fundraising efforts in order to establish a children’s museum in Caribou, a painful decision was made to halt plans to build a free-standing facility and combine their resources with an existing educational center in Easton.
On Jan. 27 the CCDM officially announced a decision to combine their funding, volunteer workforce and established connections to the community with the Francis Malcolm Science Center, a non-profit educational center/museum/planetarium on U.S. Route 1 in Easton.
It was a difficult decision for the local organization, especially Chandler who committed countless hours of her own time and energy, writing grants and searching for ways to make the dream of a Caribou Children’s Discovery Museum become reality.
Although the wish to have a place in Caribou where Aroostook County’s youth could experience the mysteries of science and learn about everyday facts hasn’t disappeared, the board came to agreement that a new entity may not be within reason, given the difficult economic times.
“The Caribou Children’s Discovery Museum Committee has been working hard for several years to establish a children’s discovery center in Aroostook County,” stated Chandler. “In these difficult financial times we felt it wiser to join our efforts with an existing science center.”
Chandler’s disappointment is however outweighed by her confidence in the established agency chosen to continue the dream. “We are extremely excited to (partner with) the Francis Malcolm Science Center. We wanted to be sure that the children would be given the opportunity to learn, explore their world and have fun and that is what the center provides for its over 6,000 visitors every year,” she said.
Officials with the Easton site are equally pleased.
“The leadership and staff of the Francis Malcolm Science Center acknowledges and welcomes Nancy Chandler and the CCDM Board to promote the construction of extraordinary interactive exhibits within the Science Center,” stated Larry Berz, planetarium director and astronomy educator of the science center.
“We will also continue ongoing discussions with the CCDM board about the installation of the new planetarium SciDomeHD technology as well as the overall ongoing operational needs of the Science Center,” said Berz. “We strongly feel that such a dialogue will serve as a mutually beneficial arrangement,” he added.
“Our discussion hopefully will lead to a significant and singular enrichment for families, the learning community in general, and our school children specifically in Aroostook County and western New Brunswick,” Berz said.
“Our mission was to educate and enrich children’s lives in Aroostook County,” said Chandler. “The Malcolm Center has a similar mission and definite goals that complement what we wanted to accomplish. They have a classroom and offer over 70 programs through their science curriculum and planetarium.”
“The money that we have raised in the past five years will be donated in the form of interactive exhibits to the center,” Chandler said, “this will enhance their offerings.”
“The names of our contributors will be highlighted on a plaque at the center. We want to thank all those who volunteered their time or made contributions to CCDM — we are extremely grateful. I will now put my efforts in helping the Malcolm Science Center raise $250,000 to purchase a new SCIdome — a powerful astronomy simulator projector,” she added.
Anyone who would like to make a donation to the center, are asked to mail it to: Francis Malcolm Science Center, P.O. Box 186, Easton, ME 04740.
