Children’s Museum of Richmond’s Short Pump Location Hosting Louisa Earthquake Fundraiser

The Children’s Museum of Richmond is teaming up with a local insurance agency to raise funds for Louisa County Schools, which suffered extensive damage in the 5.8 magnitude earthquake that hit central Virginia on August 23, 2011. CMoR will open its doors for this special benefit at both its Central and Short Pump locations on Saturday evening, November 5.

October 25, 2011; 11:24 AM • by Downtown Short Pump Staff

The Children’s Museum of Richmond is teaming up with a local insurance agency to raise funds for Louisa County Schools, which suffered extensive damage in the 5.8 magnitude earthquake that hit central Virginia on August 23, 2011. CMoR will open its doors for this special benefit at both its Central and Short Pump locations on Saturday evening, November 5.

Louisa County residents will be admitted to the museum for free; other guests will pay a reduced admission of $3.00, all of which will be donated to Louisa County Schools Foundation. In addition to sponsoring the event, Erie Insurance has committed the first $1,000 to the Louisa Education Foundation fundraiser.

“We are grateful to the Children’s Museum of Richmond and Erie Insurance for hosting this event for Louisa County,” said Dr. Deborah Pettit, superintendent of Louisa County Schools. “Each year our elementary students look forward to their trips to the museum.  To have a special Louisa event will give our families an opportunity to explore the museum, to play and to have fun, which is an important part of healing from the trauma of the earthquake.”

Earthquake damage to schools in Louisa County is estimated to be about $57.5 million. Those hardest hit are Thomas Jefferson Elementary School and Louisa County High School, both of which will be closed for the entire 2011/12 school year. The high school students have moved to the middle school next door, with the two groups sharing the building on a schedule of alternating days, including Saturdays. This will continue until February, when a temporary modular high school is expected to be ready. TJ Elementary students are attending another elementary school, where mobile classrooms are providing extra space. One of the pressing needs right now, Pettit said, is getting technology hooked up to those mobile units.

The Louisa Night event will include full access to the exhibits and art studios at both locations, face painting and special Seymour appearances, along with educational demonstrations about earthquakes. The programming, titled “What’s Shaking?”, will help children and adults understand how earthquakes are created by participating in hands-on activities. Educators hope the demos will also help alleviate children’s anxieties about earthquakes.

“We’ve all seen how support from the community can really help those going through difficult times,” said Karen Coltrane, president and CEO of the museum. “Our goal was twofold: to give Louisa residents a nice evening in the museum to just enjoy themselves with their families and friends, and to invite the surrounding communities to come out and show their support for their neighbors in Louisa County.”

The event takes place Saturday, November 5, from 5:30pm – 8:30pm, at both Children’s Museum of Richmond locations: Central, at 2626 W. Broad Street in Richmond, and Short Pump, located in West Broad Village at 2200 Old Brick Road in Glen Allen.

October 25, 2011 11:24 AM 0