A major gift to the capital campaign of the Terre Haute Children’s Museum from the Vigo County Farm Bureau moves the campaign closer to its $5.2 million goal and will provide support for an exhibit highlighting the importance of farming.
The Farm Bureau’s $150,000 donation was announced at its April board of directors’ meeting Thursday evening. In making the announcement, board president Brad Burbrink said, “The Farm Bureau organization wanted to give something back to the community, and through this donation we’re able to do that and to share our proud agricultural heritage with future generations of Wabash Valley children and their parents.”
Two substantial fundraisers last month had brought the museum’s capital campaign total to about $4.4 million.
The planned Farm Bureau exhibit will allow children visiting the museum to sit in the cab of a tractor and to learn about farming and the food system, from planting to harvesting to processing grain to the cereal they eat for breakfast.
“Most children today are two or three generations removed from the farm,” said Beth Gormong, Vigo County Farm Bureau director. “They have no idea where their food comes from or how it’s produced. That can lead to misinformation about the food system. This new partnership with the Children’s Museum will spread the word to thousands of children about how farmers are producing safe and affordable food to feed the world.”
In responding to the announcement, J. Scott Williams, executive director of the Children’s Museum, said, “This donation from the Vigo County Farm Bureau gives the museum a phenomenal opportunity to add an exhibit that is unique to the community, one that focuses on one of the — if not the — most important industries in our region.”
The new museum is expected to open in October or November of this year.
Tribune-Star reporter Sue Loughlin contributed to this story.
