Quota Club Helps D&HHS Offer Free Play at Children's Museum
A special Deaf & Hard of Hearing services night at the Children’s Museum in Grand Rapids was a big hit for the 70 people or so who attended, a mix of kids, parents and siblings, and even some grandparents too.
Said community and partnerships manager Erica Chapin: “The museum was closed to the public, so it was a time just for our kids to come and explore. They had an opportunity to meet and play with other kids who are like them. Those connections are always important! The event was free, and it gave many families an opportunity to visit the museum for the first time.”
D&HHS worked with Quota Club of GR to set up the event. Quota is a longtime supporter of D&HHS, especially youth programs, and paid for the Museum to be available for the event.
“They wanted to support an event and brought forward the idea of the museum,” Chapin said. “It was a wonderful time for everyone who attended, and we are so thankful for our partnership with Quota and the museum to make this possible.”
Sue Scharf, a Quota past president, said the pleasure was all Quota’s.
“We just celebrated 75 years of service for the Deaf community in our area,” she said. “We felt that offering an evening at the Children’s Museum for the parents and children who are Deaf would definitely be a fun, interactive and educational activity. It was so wonderful to hear the laughter and see the hugs, the parents getting to know each other while their children played and learned.”
Megan Geiken, director of marketing, membership, and events for the Children’s Museum, said the same.
“We love to welcome friends from our community to the museum to celebrate play,” she said. “This event was so fun and joyful.”
Geiken added that partnering with organizations such as D&HHS is an important part of the Museum’s mission.
“We believe all children need access to open-ended play because play is critical to their cognitive, physical, social, and emotional well-being and development,” she said. “Additionally, play has been proven to reduce stress, which is needed now more than ever before.”
The theme of the D&HHS night, Chapin said, was free play.
“Families were able to explore and play in the museum at their own pace,” she said. “There were also some snacks that were available for everyone to enjoy during their play breaks. It was exciting to see people back together and enjoying a great social opportunity.”
