It seems the museum was moved by the support it has received for Discovery Days and is starting their own campaign to save the program! Yay! I received this email today:
"WHAT HAPPENED!
The proposed 2008 City of Longmont budget eliminates city general fund support for Discovery Days. This free program has a suggested donation of $1 per child to cover the cost of materials, supplies, equipment, and marketing. City funding has paid for staffing the program. To save Discovery Days, we must find $19,000 in on-going funding from new sources.
WHAT IS DISCOVERY DAYS?
Discovery Days is an early childhood program at the Longmont Museum & Cultural Center which encourages children ages 2 to 5 and their caregivers to actively engage together in educational, hands-on art activities. Through social interaction and inspiring experiences, this facilitated community program is a place where play and learning connect - where lifelong learning begins.
This program served 10,600 children and parents or other caregivers in 2006, 6,400 of them children. Since the program is free of charge, it is accessible to all regardless of income level. To accommodate the demand, drop-in sessions are offered three times each Tuesday, Wednesday, and Friday, during the school year.
OUTLOOK
It is likely that a combination of funding sources will be necessary to maintain the success of Discovery Days. Options include:
Changing the suggested donation to a required program fee (and increasing the fee)
Obtaining grants and donations to pay program costs and fees for low-income families
Restoration of partial funding from the City of Longmont
HOW I CAN HELP?
-Volunteer whatever time you have to help the Friends and the Museum staff as we collect data and develop a plan to keep Discovery Days alive
-Donate funds or time to help solicit donations or grants
-CALL your City Council representative and ask that partial funding be restored to the budget.
The Friends of the Longmont Museum is accepting donations to help save Discovery Days. If you can give, the Friends will pass these funds on to the Museum to be used to defray the costs of this program and to provide funds for low-income families to attend.
Tax-deductible donations can be made in person at the museum or by mail to:
Friends of the Longmont Museum
400 Quail Road
Longmont , CO 80501
Please add this note in the memo section on your check: Discovery Days
If you are interested in helping to Save Discovery Days, contact Katie Torres, at 303-776-7596, katietorres@qwest.net or Morgan Copeland McCorkle, at 303-827-3569, morganthau@yahoo.com."
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