Science center scores planetarium grant
EASTON, Maine — With some help from kindred stars, the Francis Malcolm Science Center will be able to afford a new digital planetarium system, as it transitions to new financing plans.
The center, a museum that entered the new year with the risk of closure, has received a $38,500 contribution from Lili Nelms and Robert Ingram of Houston, Texas.
The donation will allow the center to replace its 33-year-old planetarium projector with a new system from ASH Enterprises that shows astronomy and other science programming, said planetarium director Larry Berz.
“Our current optical mechanical system, installed in 1983, has served the center well over the years, but has been eclipsed by today’s digital technology,” Berz said. “We are grateful that these generous supporters are making this much-needed upgrade.”
Nelms went to school in Virginia with Liz Orser, the wife of Francis Malcolm Science Center trustee Jim Orser, the great-great nephew of Francis Malcolm, an Easton native whose endowment helped start the science center in 1983.
The new system is expected to be installed by the end of March, Berz said. “We are excited and anxious to showcase this impressive new technology and use it to support our programming for students and the general public.”
The Francis Malcolm Science Center is also moving forward with organizational changes, transitioning to “a community-supported organization” as it seeks $120,000 to stay open through the rest of the year. The center has been trying to find long-term funding from multiple sources.
“We will pursue funding from public and private sources and individual donors through our newly created Galaxy of Stars capital campaign,” Berz said. The center has started off the campaign with the promise of matching grant of $10,000 from Roger and Diane Libby of Mars Hill.
“It’s that kind of support and commitment that lets us know that people really want to see the Francis Malcolm Science Center remain a vital community resource,” Berz said.
