Behind the Scenes--People You May Not See!
To paraphrase a sound-byte: it takes a village to run a children's museum. As you may know, there is only two part-time paid staff persons, Jaime and Patty and although they do a great job, they cannot do it all. It takes many volunteers helping out to keep the Museum functioning.

One of the most important and visible jobs at the Museum is working at the front desk.

In addition to Moe, there are other volunteers at the Museum whom you may not see, but who are essential to the operation. Gloria Kellas serves on the Board of Directors, is responsible for our gift store, is in charge of the birthday parties, takes care of the plants in the outdoor container, and yet found time to sew the skirt around the table in the front lobby. Dick Roscoe and Stan Prowant also serve on the Board of Directors yet find time to make repairs at the Museum and take care of all those honey-do projects. John Bradt, another Board Member, is the computer consultant for the Museum and is there whenever help is needed. Derek Caplinger, Treasurer of the Board, is always willing to lend a helping hand to decorate the Museum or hide Easter Eggs. Patrick Temple, a new Board Member, just finished a mural for the Fire! Fire! Exhibit.

You don't need to be a Board Member to volunteer. Donna Franklin of Picket Fences made letters for our Birthday Room window. Marlee Dickerson makes sure our bulletin board is always looking nice; she's a whiz at decorating the Museum. Cheri Kendrick stocks the Art Room every week and sees to it that supplies are ordered. Matthew Prowant is the best Easter Bunny there ever was! Tony Askins of AC General Contractors and his friend, Paul Arnold, made the fire truck in the Fire! Fire! Exhibit. Mike Brandhagen volunteered to wallpaper the little bathrooms. Kimberly Dennis painted the exhibit space for Journey to Japan. Debra Savas volunteers every week to fold multitudes of brochures and mailings.

These are just a few of the wonderful people who volunteer behind the scenes at the Museum. If someone was not mentioned, please let Jill know at 276-1066. It is important to recognize ALL our volunteers.

School Groups Visit Museum
In the merry month of May, over twenty-two school groups visited the Children''s Museum. That's over 700 children, plus teachers, plus however many adult chaperons accompanied the classes. As of this time, we think no child was left behind. The Executive Director of the Museum also learned that aspirin works faster when followed by a cup of strong coffee. One can never be too old to learn.

Business After-Hours
The Children's Museum was pleased as punch to host, in April, the Pendleton Chamber of Commerce Monthly Business After-Hours.

Mary Ann Hamley and Pat Chapman were instrumental in setting a lovely table decorated with daffodils and pussy willows. Mary Ann served her famous cookies and brownies. Jill Heffner made a delicious-but-simple punch. Renee Foot assisted in the set-up. Over sixty businesspeople attended the springtime fete. All were impressed with the delicious, world-famous cookies as well as all the new exhibits. It was a grand evening.

A Day in the Life--By Jill Heffner, Executive Director
Let me tell you about today. It began before the Children's Museum was even opened. I unlocked the doors and was in the process of opening when I heard sounds coming from the back of the Museum. Cautiously, I walked through the unlit building. Patrick? I tentatively called. Patrick Temple stepped out from the Fire! Fire! Exhibit. He was in the last stages of painting the mural on the wall. I was pleased the mural was finished but I was really glad it was just Patrick who was in the building!

While Patrick was adding the finishing touches to the mural, Mike Brandhagen arrived. He was here to start papering the two little bathrooms AND he had already picked up the wallpaper donated by Macomber's Interior Decorating! Mike worked all day removing the old wallpaper and hanging the new. He also arranged with Sherwin-Williams to donate paint (the wallpaper is a special paper that is meant to be painted) and even had paint samples with him so he and I could choose the color that best went with the linoleum donated by Soft Step Interiors. There's shell pink to go with the pinky-beigey flooring, and ice teal for the green flooring. Wow, the bathrooms are going to look SO nice!

While Mike was working in the bathrooms, Rob Merriman Plumbing arrived to fix the two toilets that weren't working and Theren from McCormack Construction Co. stopped by to check on the condition of the bathroom floors. (They're okay. That was a relief.) Imagine a plumber, a paperhanger, and a contractor all in a 5' x 5' bathroom at the same time!

Renee Foot was here in the afternoon and I put her to work painting the sandwich board that we will put out on the sidewalk. While she was here, Elder McKay and Elder Rasmussen arrived to volunteer at the Front Desk. Not being one to let any man sit idle (you can check with my husband about this), I soon put the Elders to work vacuuming, wiping down the toddler toys, and washing windows.

At this time, Doug Rice and one of his students came to paint more stars in the bathroom hallway. It was a very busy day at the Children's Museum. But thank goodness for all the terrific volunteers, including Carole Chvilicek and Michele Lowary who staffed the Front Desk in the morning hours. Oh, did I mention the two school groups that were here also?

Cinco de Mayo
Children and their families met on May 5th at the Children's Museum to celebrate Cinco de Mayo, a day of commemoration for Mexican-Americans. On this day in 1862, in the village of Puebla, Mexico, a small band of Mexican patriots defeated the French Army. The Children's Museum provided crafts, storytelling, games, refreshments for all the attendees. Bob Patterson established the record for the most consecutive Balero catches but Cheri Kendrick came in a close second! Each child took swings at the Pinata while everyone, including the adults, enjoyed the pieces of candy that were consequently strewn on the floor. It was a fun Sunday afternoon for young and younger.

Easter Egg Hunt
Over four hundred Easter Eggs were hidden in the Children's Museum on the day before Easter! There were eggs everywhere! That huge Easter Bunny, played by Matthew Prowant, was a very busy critter as he greeted each child and was available to be petted. A cuter or taller Easter Bunny has never been seen before or since! After all the eggs were discovered, the children enjoyed making age-appropriate crafts. Refreshments were served and the Easter Bunny went home for another year.

Pendleton Foundation Trust
In the year 2001, the Children's Museum of Eastern Oregon received a generous grant from the Pendleton Foundation Trust. This gift was instrumental in the continued operation of the Children's Museum. We are very grateful to the Pendleton Foundation Trust and to its trustees.

The Pendleton Foundation Trust was founded in 1928 and is the oldest community foundation in Oregon. Contributions to the Foundation are held in trust and the income from that trust is dedicated to fund improvements to the community of Pendleton. Since its beginnings, the Foundation has granted more than $1 million to partially or entirely fund projects in Pendleton. These gifts include, but are not limited to, projects of the Umatilla County Historical Society and the Arts Council of Pendleton; track and field improvements at the Pendleton public schools, Blue Mountain Community College, Babe Ruth Field, and Little League Park; equipment and instruments for the Oregon East Symphony; and library books for the Pendleton Public Library.

The Foundation gives over $70,000 annually in grants. All donations to the Pendleton Foundation Trust help the principal grow, making it possible to give back more to the community. Call the Pendleton Foundation Trust at 541-276-3331 to participate through direct donation, estate gift or trust, or memorial gift. Contributions may also be mailed to POB 218, Pendleton, OR 97801. Or for more information, please contact Renee Bishop.

Wildhorse Foundation
Wildhorse Foundation is instrumental in the continued operation of the Children's Museum of Eastern Oregon. It not only provided a grant in 2001 for the general operating expenses of the Museum, but provided a grant to provide a Cultural Awareness and Arts Program. Currently, the Museum has created African Adventure and Journey to Japan exhibits; two more exhibits are in the planning stages. Wildhorse Foundation was established in January 2001 to formalize charitable giving on behalf of the Wildhorse Resort & Casino and the Confederated Tribes of the Umatilla Indian Reservation. Funds from the Wildhorse Foundation are used for education, public health, public safety, gambling addiction prevention, education and treatment, the arts, environmental protection, education or preservation, cultural activities, salmon restoration and historic preservation. Wildhorse Foundation provides grants for projects that benefit Umatilla, Union, Morrow, and Wallowa counties as well as the Umatilla Indian Reservation. In its first year, the Foundation contributed $75,000 in grants. Some, but not of the recipients, include the Pioneer Playground Project, the Umatilla County Historical Society, the Oregon East Symphony as well as the Children's Museum of Eastern Oregon.

The Children's Museum is grateful to Wildhorse Foundation for its continued support.