Travis Ford Family Adopts WONDERtorium

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE May 17, 2010 PDF:  20100517_Ford_Family-endorsement.pdf		Contact: Ruth Cavins, Executive Director Phone: 405.533.3333

Travis Ford Family adopts the WONDERtorium as their local non-profit
organization of choice

STILLWATER, OK (May 17, 2010) – Oklahoma State University men’s basketball coach Travis Ford and his wife, Heather, announced Monday that the Oklahoma WONDERtorium would be their family’s local non-profit organization of choice. The Fords made the announcement at Westwood Elementary in Stillwater, Oklahoma. Children from two Westwood classrooms were invited to attend.

Heather Ford is one of fourteen members of the Oklahoma WONDERtorium’s board of directors. She has lent her support to museum activities as a volunteer and the Ford children have participated in museum camps and programs.

“As a new member of the museum’s board, I have been impressed by the efforts of all concerned to develop fun and educational events and learning experiences for children and families in Stillwater and beyond,” Heather Ford commented.

“I am very excited about the WONDERtorium and the impact it has and will have on the children of our community and the entire state of Oklahoma,” Travis Ford said.  “With three kids of my own, I know first-hand how important the mission of the organization is.”

Currently, the WONDERtorium is a “museum without walls” and developed the educational outreach program of the same name in 2006 to further its mission of inspiring curiosity to learn through play. Museum Without Walls programming offers four developmentally appropriate programs for children in Payne County elementary schools, preschools and childcare centers. Program subject matter ranges from simple activities involving brightly-colored objects, simple dance moves and music for infants and their caretakers to cutting-edge information on nanoscience principles and plant viruses for fifth graders (expanding to fourth graders in Spring 2010). With a building site at 10th & Duck streets in Stillwater, the WONDERtorium is actively raising funds to open a permanent facility in 2012.

“We are honored by the Ford’s involvement in our efforts to give children more learning opportunities,” said Oklahoma WONDERtorium Executive Director Ruth Cavins. “The Ford’s endorsement and public support of us is a critical step to continuing the work we are doing through our Museum Without Walls program and in our effort to build a children’s museum in the city of Stillwater.”

About Oklahoma WONDERtorium
Currently, Oklahoma WONDERtorium is a “museum without walls” and developed the educational outreach program of the same name in 2006 to further its mission of inspiring curiosity to learn through play. MWW offers four developmentally-appropriate programs for children in local childcare centers, preschool and elementary schools. Program subject matter ranges from simple activities involving brightly-colored objects, simple dance moves and music for infants and their caretakers to cutting-edge information on nanoscience principles and plant viruses for fifth graders (expanding to fourth graders in 2010). With a building site at 10th & Duck streets in Stillwater, the WONDERtorium is actively raising funds to open a permanent facility in 2012. The Oklahoma WONDERtorium is a nonprofit 501(c)(3) organization. Business offices are located at 1601 S. Main (Head Start Bldg.), Stillwater, Oklahoma, 74074. For more details about the museum, its programs and events, please visit www.okwondertorium.org.

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