WILTON — Western Maine Play Museum had only been open six months when the COVID-19 pandemic hit, but the nonprofit has managed to still offer play and learning experiences for children despite of the challenges. The museum opened back up to the public in September, and is looking forward to an active 2021.
The museum’s first event of the new year is a Virtual New Years Family Fun Run. Families can buy tickets through the museum website and participate in their own time and space. Participants are asked to complete a mile walk/run with their family and submit photos to be entered into a raffle for some wintery prizes.
Families are encouraged to get creative and have some fun with themes or locations to complete their mile from Dec. 30 to Jan. 4. Information on the event and how to register is available on the Western Maine Play Museum Facebook page.
All the ticket sales from the event will be matched by Chris and Andy Cook and the Cook Family Foundation, who have offered to match up to $10,000 for any money raised in the museum’s current fundraising campaign. The Cooks have been frequent visitors and continued supporters of the museum, said Executive Director Joni James. This is the second matching grant the Cooks have offered the museum.
james said that 2020 was a busy year, despite the pandemic. “We held a Halloween party, a grand opening celebration, the best Noon Years Eve party the world has ever seen, and learned about the Lunar New Year,” she said. “We hosted artists, scientists, classrooms full of students, nature enthusiasts and a Contraption Convention that filled our rooms with unbelievable kid-made inventions.”
James said a new ticket process and safety precautions allowed the museum to open in September, with social distancing. The museum also got a grant from the federal CARES Act, which helped cover operation costs.
“The organization is always working tirelessly to find and apply for new nonprofit grants that help with operation costs, renovations and exhibits,” James said.
