Early planning phase underway for museum dedicated to Weaver family

ESCANABA, Mich. (WLUC) - Planning is in the early phases to open a children’s museum in Delta County that will cement the legacy of an Escanaba couple.

The Dream Weaver Children’s Museum will be dedicated to Jerry and Tara Weaver, who died in a January car crash. Tara was the early childhood director at the Delta-Schoolcraft Intermediate School District.

“Tara our director was a fierce advocate for families,” Delta-Schoolcraft Great Start Parent Liaison/GSC Co-Director Laurie Mold said. “She really believed in early childhood and how important that was. Creating a space like a children’s museum is really that opportunity for families to learn together, to learn about how important their engagement with their children is to develop their brains.”

Mold says the group is working on finalizing a location for the museum. Then they will know how much the project will cost.

“We are really at the beginning stages of organizing the project,” Mold said. “So again, collecting information so that we have volunteers forming committees. We’re researching buildings. We have a potential site. So next step is going to be bringing some contractors in to see how much it would cost to renovate the said building.

Board Member Andrea Tourangeau says the group is hoping to have the first exhibits open as soon as possible.

“We are hoping for next year, next fall to have some of our exhibits up and open, and then it will be something where we’re just adding exhibits and growing until it reaches its full potential,” Tourangeau said.

In order to be eligible for grants, the museum joined the Community Foundation of Delta County as part of its 501c3. Board members say they hope to later establish their own non-profit status.

Until then, the group is looking for logo submissions for the children’s museum. The logo will be used on all marketing materials. To submit a logo you can email them to dreamweavercm@gmail.com or by mail at Dream Weaver CM 2525 3rd Ave S., Escanaba, MI 49829 by June 30 at 5 p.m.

If you would like to donate to the museum, you can visit the Community Foundation of Delta County website and specify your donation is for the Dream Weaver Children’s Museum, or by mail to Community Foundation-Dream Weaver Children’s Museum 2420 1st Ave S. Escanaba, MI 49829.