Six-year-old George O’Rourke of Acton Donates the Contents of his Giving Jar to The Discovery Museums

Six-year-old George O’Rourke of Acton Donates the Contents of his Giving Jar to The Discovery Museums

High-res images: http://bit.ly/2uoHd4Q

ACTON, MA – George O'Rourke of Acton, age 6, stopped by The Discovery Museums recently to donate to the museum’s Ready, Set, Build! campaign for completion of the new Discovery Museum, opening December 2017.

George has been saving a portion of his allowance in his Giving Jar for just over a year or, as he put it, "about 1,000 or 20 years." The cash has built up, and his parents, Sarah and Larry O'Rourke, have been asking George where he would like to donate his money, giving him gentle reminders and suggestions about local non-profits. But, nothing seemed to resonate with George.

The O'Rourke family have been museum members since 2012 and are frequent visitors, so George has noticed that the Science Discovery Museum building has been closed this summer for expansion and renovation. George asked his mom, "Mom, what are they doing at The Discovery Museums?!" She told him the museum was being rebuilt in a way that would make sure that all children could enjoy it. George said, "THAT is where I want to give my money."

George is excited to know that when the new Discovery Museum opens in December, his gift will have helped make it a reality for all children.

Thanks to the generosity of the community, the museum is close to achieving its $8.4 million capital project goal to expand and completely renovate the museum and to make it fully accessible. A $50,000 donor challenge to raise $100 gifts in 100 days will run through mid-September. More information on the capital project and the Ready! Set! Build! campaign is available at www.discoverymuseums.org/build.

About The Discovery Museums

The Discovery Museums are the children’s and science museums of Metrowest Boston. Two great museums and the Discovery Woods accessible outdoor nature playscape and treehouse—for one admission price—blend the best of STEAM (Science, Technology, Engineering, Art and Math) learning on a beautiful 4.5-acre campus in Acton, MA, about 20 miles west of Boston. The Museums serve families and schools from towns throughout the region, with a commitment to informal education that enhances classroom learning. The hands-on, playful exhibits, developed by professional educators, inspire curiosity, exploration, and imagination, providing a fun and engaging experience for children and adults to discover their world together. The Discovery Museums are committed to accessibility, and are a proud recipient of the 2017 Massachusetts Commonwealth Award, the only winner in the Access category. For more information please visit www.discoverymuseums.org. The Discovery Museums are an independent 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization.

The Discovery Museums’ programming is supported in part by a grant from the Massachusetts Cultural Council, a state agency.

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