Children’s Museum working toward fundraising goals
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ELKINS -- A fundraising effort for the Interact Children's Museum has reached 60% of the Phase One goal, moving closer to the museum opening in a permanent location.
Museum board members, supporters and community members gathered around the museum's funding campaign sign on Randolph Avenue this week to celebrate the milestone. Since 2019, the Interact Children's Museum has operated as a mobile museum with the hope of someday finding a permanent home in Elkins.
"Reaching 60% of our Phase One goal is an incredible achievement -- not just for us, but for the families and children who've supported our journey from day one," ICM Board President Lisa Martin said in a press statement. "This progress proves that our community believes in the vision of Interact Children's Museum, and we are so energized by the momentum."
Phase One is the first of three phases in the ICM's capital campaign towards the purchase and renovation of a permanent space. The first phase, as the Elkins-Randolph Chamber of Commerce explained in the released statement, "represents critical foundational funding for site selection, early build-out and the launch of expanded exhibits."
"We've seen what Interact can do as a mobile museum -- now imagine the magic we can create with a permanent home," ICM board member Sydney West said in the release. "But dreams like this take funding, and we're asking our community to help us close the gap and cross the finish line for Phase One."
The building the ICM will purchase is located in the Colonial Estates housing development off of Lough Lane. The ICM requires $375,000 to finalize the purchase.
"Davis Trust owns all the empty lots and they own the Clubhouse at Colonial Estates," Martin told The Inter-Mountain in a previous statement. "They separated the Clubhouse out of the HomeOwners' Association, so they could sell us just the Clubhouse. There are still some people that own the homes there and they (Davis Trust) are selling off the rest of the lots for home-building. But the Clubhouse is now a separate entity than the rest of Colonial Estates."
Martin added that having the Interact Children's Museum in a residential area will be a nice fit for the facility.
"It's not zoned just residential, it's zoned for the good of the community, so it works out great for us," Martin said. "We feel like being in a residential area is not a bad thing. There's Colonial States there and there's Highland Meadows across the road and it's pretty easy to find, it's just a direct shot off of Harrison Avenue."
Once Phase One and the purchase are complete, Phase Two will begin to help make "necessary updates for compliance needs" in order for the museum to open, the ICM said in a social media post in January that announced the three-phased project.
The funding campaign has seen support from local businesses, individuals and organizations "committed to building a vibrant future for area children," according to the release. "With 60% raised, the museum invites the public to join in capping off Phase One and investing in a space that will inspire generations to come."
To contribute to the Interact Children's Museum campaign, email interactmuseum@gmail.com.