Jane Huh
Daily Egyptian
Pam Madden is still reeling from the community's response to the Science Center's funding shortage after the founders of the Fralish Foundation, James and Kathleen Fralish, donated a hefty sum of $15,000 for the center.
"The most I was hoping for was a grand," she said.
The Science Center, located in the University Mall, relied on fundraising events such as raffles, along with funding from donor pledges. The five-year long pledge program began in 2001. Donors pledge any amount to the center and pay the fixed pledge amount for the next five years.
But now, more donors are spiking their pledge amounts, Madden said.
If not for the Fralish donation, the center may have folded. Earlier in June, the Carbondale Park District decided to drastically cut funding by 80 percent from $27,000 to $5,000 for next fiscal year.
"Essentially, this ensures that the Science Center stays open," Madden said. "We lost $22,000 out of our budget while we already run on a shoe-string, and we had to figure out how we could find $22,000."
Madden said the center wanted to set up a formal presentation honoring the Fralish couple, but the benefactors declined. The Fralishes simply hoped the money would further the center's longevity, she said.
Family membership to the center, an Association of Science and Technological Centers museum, is $45 a year and $25 for individuals. Members have free access to the center and to any ASTC-museum around the world.
Beth Boardman is glad to know that she can continue to take her preschool daughter to the center. She said her daughter gains a wealth of knowledge from the hands-on displays.
"The nice thing is they have different [themes] every month. New exhibits and activity areas so that the kids can be exposed to a lot of new things," she said.
Brian Price of Sacramento, Calif., brought his children to the center to enjoy the day in the town.
"I'm not from this community, but I thought this was a neat thing for the kids to see all the hands-on activities," Price said.
The next closest museum to Carbondale, besides the one in University Mall, is the St. Louis Science Center.
"We are already in the top 10 percent of self-sustaining museums in the country, and we're located in Carbondale, Ill.," Madden said.
Thanks to the Fralish donation and the growing funding generosities of other donors that secured fundraising efforts, Madden said the center has a promising future.
Parents like Boardman said the center employs innovative activities and resources to teach children.
"This is one more thing to enhance our kids' education," Boardman said.
Reporter Jane Huh can be reached at jhuh@dailyegyptian.com
Published on 11/17/05; 12:24:44 PM
