nTelos Cares for the VDM!

A big "thank you" to Charlottesville Family Magazine and nTelos Wireless, who have made it possible for the VDM to receive a $1,000 donation through the nTelos Cares program. Check out the details below!

nTelos Wireless, a Virginia-based provider of high-speed, dependable nationwide coverage for less, has donated $1,000 to the Virginia Discovery Museum.

The funds were donated via the company’s nTelos Cares program, which uses partnerships with local bloggers to benefit local nonprofits through social media sharing.  

“We are thankful that nTelos Wireless reached out to Charlottesville Family and they chose us to partner with them for this innovative promotion,” said Amy Wicks-Horn, executive director of the Virginia Discovery Museum. “It’s because of local companies and activities like this that we are able to year-after-year engage new supporters and further strengthen our brand in the local community.”

The Virginia Discovery Museum strives to bring young children and families together to engage minds, excite imaginations and explore the world around them. nTelos Wireless partnered with Charlottesville Family, which blogged about the Virginia Discovery Museum and asked its readers to help raise awareness – and funds – for the museum by sharing via Facebook and Twitter.

“We thought using our website and blog to increase awareness of one of our favorite charities was a fantastic idea,” said Jane DeGeorge, editor of Charlottesville Family Magazine. “It not only brought attention to our publication and website, but drove awareness of our Facebook page and the Facebook page of the Virginia Discovery Museum.”

“Every day, people use blogs and social media channels like Facebook and Twitter to communicate about things they are passionate about and the nTelos Cares program encourages the use of these tools to help generate awareness of worthy non-profits in our local community,” said Conrad Hunter, chief operating officer of nTelos Wireless. “It’s great when we can partner with a non-profit and see a grassroots effort start to form and gain momentum all online.”

Books and Floors

What do books and floors have in common? Besides "oo," they are both projects that the staff is working on here at the museum!

Books!

This Saturday, you can support the Virginia Discovery Museum by shopping at Barnes & Noble in Charlottesville, Virginia. In an effort to raise money for the museum, VDM is working together with Barnes & Noble Booksellers by hosting a Bookfair at the Barracks Road Shopping Center store. On January 12th, Barnes & Noble will donate a percentage of every sale made with a special Bookfair voucher. The vouchers can be picked up at the museum or from VDM's table at the store on Saturday. If you don't have a voucher, you can also simply mention VDM to the cashier. This is a great chance to use any holiday gift cards that are still around! Amy and Peter will also be at Barnes & Noble hosting fun crafts and story time events. Be sure to stop by the store for your favorite books, a craft, and support VDM!

If you can't make it to the store on Saturday, visit bn.com/bookfairs and use Bookfair ID Number 10988475 when you check out, between January 12th and 17th.

Floors! 
This past September, VDM saw its largest and most complicated renovation yet! The museum unveiled a brand new Back Gallery filled with many interactive and fun-filled exhibits, including "Little C'ville," a Virginia-centric hallway, and many new, fun touches in the Front Gallery. After witnessing such a wonderful outpouring of excitement and support in reaction to these changes, the VDM staff is starting work on their next big project: new floors!

The museum has now begun the project to replace the Back Gallery floors, which have not been updated in 12 years. Aiming to renovate the floors in February, the VDM staff has already started researching various eco-friendly and child-safe materials for these floors. We are excited to see all the different materials and colors that are not only environmentally conscious, but also will best highlight the fantastic new exhibits in the Back Gallery. We are also looking at all the fun educational components of these materials to teach kids about recyclables and possibly design.

Thanks to a generous donor, VDM has raised half the funds needed to accomplish our goal. If you are interested in helping to replace the Back Gallery floors, pleas contact us at executivedirector@vadm.org. Help us create a safe, eco-friendly, and educational environment for our visitors.

Underwater Art

 School just started back up after the holidays, but the next day off is less than two weeks away! Next Friday, January 18th, is a Teacher Work Day and that mean it's also the next Teacher Work Day program at the museum. This time, the theme is Art from Under the Sea. We’re diving deep to learn about some underwater creatures and making our own versions. We’ll take part in the Whale Mail program, based at the Children’s Museum and Theater of Maine. We’ll see some of their artwork, then send one of our creations back to them.

Kids at the Children's Museum and Theater of Maine have been learning all about humpback whales this year. They made postcards with beautiful watercolor pictures of the whales, which were mailed to children's museums along the east coast, following the humpback whales' migration patterns. Humpback whales can be spotted off the coast of Virginia in the winter, so we are hosting a pod of paper whales here at the Virginia Discovery Museum. Even if you can't come for our Teacher Work Day Program, the whales will be on display through the winter, so stop by to say hi!

The Underwater Art program will be January 18th, from 9-12. It is for ages 5-8 and costs $30 for members and $35 for non-members. Pre-registration is required. We will provide all the materials for the activities and a healthy snack, as well as three hours of fun at the museum! 

Also, keep an eye out for our next Teacher Work Day program, co-sponsored by Speak! Language Center. It's an expanded, 2-day Spanish immersion class on February 18 and 19, from 9-3. Registration is now open for both programs, so give us a call at 977-1025.