Holiday Happenings: Give the Gift of Membership

Posted by Matt Berman

The holiday season is in full swing at the Virginia Discovery Museum, and there's so much going on! To help you keep track of it all, here's part two of a five-part blog series called Holiday Happenings, which will detail some of the major things taking place at the museum through January 1.



About 50 people attended the adults-only Holidays at the Museum party on Dec. 11.
Guests enjoyed tasting a variety of apples from Chiles Peach Orchard in Crozet.

This past week has been a wild roller coaster of weather. Overcast skies. Flurries. Freezing rain. A wintry mix. Snow. More rain. Sunshine.

But there's been one constant throughout: It's been cold!

Despite the near-freezing temperatures last night, though, about 50 guests ventured out to the Virginia Discovery Museum's adults-only Holidays at the Museum party to warm up at our hot chocolate and cider bar, enjoy an apple tasting by Chiles Peach Orchard in Crozet, nibble on fare catered by Bashir's Taverna of Charlottesville, and learn new ways they can support the museum's continued mission to provide a safe and fun environment for children in the community to explore, create, and grow. The museum would like to extend special thanks to all of the event's sponsors, including Charlottesville Parking Center and BAKED by Kathy, for helping to make the evening a success.

If you weren't able to make it out for the festivities, there are still many ways for you to partner with VDM during the holiday season:

• Participate in one of the museum's holiday giving campaigns:
  We discussed our Giving Tree campaign on the Destination: Discovery blog last week. This week, I'd like to introduce you to another campaign VDM just unveiled: Give the Gift of Membership!
  
  This year, give the gift of a VDM membership or admission to a family on your list. Each ornament on the Membership Giving Tree in our front window lists one of our three levels of membership or a specific monetary admission value. Simply take an ornament from the tree with the value you'd like to give and see the front desk attendant.
  
  If you are giving the membership or admission to a specific family, you will receive a gift certificate for the amount paid to pass along. However, donors also have the option of specifying that their donations go toward supporting VDM's free admission program. This program funds admittance for more than 20 local nonprofit groups and their constituents, allowing VDM to remain accessible to everyone in the community.
  
  For the month of December, each person who gives the gift of membership or free admission will have his or her name printed on an ornament to help decorate the Membership Giving Tree in the front window.

• Check out our wish lists online:
  From technology upgrades to new exhibit pieces to supplies the museum uses on a daily basis, VDM is always trying to improve the quality of the experience our museum provides to visitors. Large or small, these gifts are vital to our mission. If you have specific questions about any of the items on our wish lists, email VDM Executive Director Amy Wicks-Horn at executivedirector@vadm.org.

• Make a one-time donation:
  It's quick and easy to make a monetary contribution to the museum online using a credit card or PayPal account. You can also make a donation over the phone using a credit card or stop by the museum in person and speak to the attendant at the front desk.

The Virginia Discovery Museum is a 501(c)(3) organization, and all contributions are tax deductible. We appreciate your support and wish you a happy, healthy holiday season!

Matt Berman is the Exhibits and Marketing Manager at the Virginia Discovery Museum. Reach him at exhibits@vadm.org or marketing@vadm.org.