Oak Ridge Today

Scott Jamison receives Children’s Museum Friend of the Child Award

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Scott Jamison, a Children’s Museum volunteer who received the Friend of the Child Award, teaches a summer camp annually in the Museum’s Craft and Science Room. (Submitted photo)

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When Scott Jamison is teaching children about crime scene investigation or sharing his telecommunications skills at the Children’s Museum of Oak Ridge, he arrives with a smile that shows his selflessness and generosity.

Jamison recently received the museum’s annual Friend of the Child Award for volunteering his business and telecommunications skills, as well as his teaching skills, when the staff seeks his help.

“When Scott walks in the door, frequently responding to urgent pleas for help, there is only one desire—and that is to make things work,” said Ronnie Bogard, former museum board member who presented the award to Jamison.

The award is presented in memory of Selma Shapiro, Bogard’s mother and the museum’s executive director for its first 31 years. With her vision and resourcefulness, Shapiro built the museum from a its single-room beginnings to fill a former school building. The award was established to honor an individual who has contributed in a big way to the success of the museum. [Read more…]

Larry Burkholder receives Children’s Museum Friend of the Child Award

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Ronnie Bogard presents Larry Burkholder with the Children’s Museum Friend of the Child Award. (Submitted photo)

As a volunteer and advocate for the Children’s Museum of Oak Ridge, Larry Burkholder has always been willing to do whatever hard work needs to be done.

As a member of Knoxville Area Model Railroaders (KAMR), he has developed a mutually beneficial relationship between the railroaders and the Museum, and his hard work and perseverance has continued for years, according to Ronnie Bogard.

“Larry spearheaded the work renovating what was the former preschool area (of the Museum) for the KAMR club rooms; he helped set up the World of Trains exhibit; and he coordinated with Mark Fuhrman on the outdoor train garden,” explained Bogard, in presenting Burkholder recently with the Selma Shapiro Friend of the Child Award for 2019. [Read more…]

Holocaust Remembrance Program is Sunday in Oak Ridge

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Mira Kimmelman

Mira Kimmelman

There will be a Holocaust Remembrance Program at the Jewish Congregation of Oak Ridge on Sunday.

It’s presented by the Jewish Congregation of Oak Ridge and the Oak Ridge Unitarian Universalist Church. The Holocaust Remembrance Service is sponsored by the Oak Ridge Interfaith Partnership, and the public is encouraged to attend, a press release said. The City of Oak Ridge has proclaimed April 15 to be Holocaust Remembrance Day for 2018, the press release said.

The Holocaust Remembrance Program will be held from 3 to 4 p.m. Sunday in the Jewish Congregation of Oak Ridge Sanctuary, which is at 101 West Madison Lane. There will be a candle lighting ceremony, songs, readings by members of both congregations, and prayers, the press release said. [Read more…]

Children’s Museum presents Selma Shapiro Friend of the Child Award

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Nick Imperato accepts the Selma Shapiro Friend of the Child award presented posthumously to his wife, Pat Imperato, from Children’s Museum board member Suzan Bowman. (Submitted photo)

Nick Imperato accepts the Selma Shapiro Friend of the Child award presented posthumously to his wife, Pat Imperato, from Children’s Museum board member Suzan Bowman. (Submitted photo)

 

The Children’s Museum of Oak Ridge recently presented the first Selma Shapiro Friend of the Child award posthumously to Pat Imperato, a Museum board president and volunteer who gave generously of her time to many community organizations.

Imperato had a passion for community service and faced each day asking, “What can I do today to make this world a better place?” Museum board member Suzan Bowman related in presenting the award to Pat’s husband, Nick Imperato, at the Museum’s annual meeting.

“When she recruited me to be on this board, she told me that this Museum is one of the joys of her life,” Bowman said in presenting the award. “Pat gave so unselfishly of her time and energy to causes she believed in.”

The Shapiro family contributed $1,000 to the Museum in memory of Pat Imperato and in honor of the award. [Read more…]

Holocaust Remembrance program on April 23

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Mira Kimmelman

Mira Kimmelman

The City of Oak Ridge has proclaimed April 23 to be Holocaust Remembrance Day for 2017.

The Jewish Congregation of Oak Ridge, or JCOR, and the Oak Ridge Unitarian Universalist Church, or ORUUC, have partnered together to study the Holocaust and to conduct a Holocaust Memorial Service. The service will be held from 3:30 to 4:30 p.m. in the JCOR Sanctuary at 101 West Madison Lane in Oak Ridge on April 23. There will be a candle lighting ceremony conducted by Mira Kimmelman, as well as song, readings, and prayers.

The Holocaust Memorial Service is a community service sponsored by the Oak Ridge Interfaith Partnership, and the public is encouraged to attend, a press release said. The Oak Ridge Interfaith Partnership is a new community organization based out of ORUUC, and it is designed to bring people from different religious backgrounds together so that the group can educate, eliminate prejudice, and build a stronger community, the press release said. [Read more…]

Children’s Museum to celebrate national parks at gala in December

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Martha Hart of Karen’s Jewelers, left, with Lee McGetrick and Mike Morris, all members of the Children’s Museum Gala Committee, display a National Park poster for the Gala, which will celebrate the National Park Service Centennial. (Submitted photo)

 

The Children’s Museum of Oak Ridge will celebrate the 100th birthday of the National Park Service at its annual Gala Evening, a benefit for the museum on Friday, December 2.

“Tribute to the National Parks—A Centennial Celebration” will feature National Park trivia and prizes, National Park-inspired cuisine by Rosa’s Catering, music from the Oak Ridge High School Choral Ensemble, an exhibition of children’s photographs from the parks, and a surprise for Gala attendees.

The Gala will be an official National Park Service Centennial Event. In honor of that designation, the museum will offer free admission Saturday and Sunday, December 3 and 4, inviting the public to view the “Parks-in-Focus” National Parks photography exhibit in the Imagination Gallery. Photos of area parks taken by girls from Girls Inc. of Oak Ridge will be shown in the exhibit.

Guests are invited to come dressed to represent a favorite National Park or in semi-formal attire to the Gala, to be held from 5:30-9:30 p.m. December 2 at the museum, which is at 461 West Outer Drive in Oak Ridge. [Read more…]

Oak Ridge ‘Hams’ show children fun of amateur radio at Children’s Museum

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Lucas Henderson, 9, of Corryton, taps his name in Morse code as his brother, Brody, 7, at right, awaits his turn. Amateur radio operator Jim Bogard helps them learn to tap the code. (Submitted photo)

Lucas Henderson, 9, of Corryton, taps his name in Morse code as his brother, Brody, 7, at right, awaits his turn. Amateur radio operator Jim Bogard helps them learn to tap the code. (Submitted photo)

 

Children and teens from ages 6 to 16 tried their hand at Morse code recently with ham radio operators at the Children’s Museum of Oak Ridge, learning to communicate on amateur radio as they also participated in celebrating the 100th birthday of the country’s national parks.

Jim and Ronnie Bogard, both amateur radio operators with FCC licenses, welcomed children on a recent Sunday to the museum’s Discovery Lab, where they had set up portable radio equipment and a mobile antenna. Jim Womack (KC4RD) also set up an amateur radio station in the museum’s Living Light Solar House.

“We focus on Morse code, teaching the children to key, so they can send messages. It is like a secret language to kids,” said Jim Bogard (KY4L). “Kids will hear two-way Morse code contacts from all over the U.S. and can have fun sending their names in Morse code. There are also opportunities to talk on the microphone with other amateur radio stations.”

Amateur radio operators will be at the Children’s Museum’s Discovery Lab from 1-4 p.m. each third Sunday of the month. [Read more…]

Mary Ann Damos retires as Children’s Museum director

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Oak Ridge Mayor Warren Gooch, right, presented Mary Ann Damos with a City Council resolution thanking her for her leadership and service. At left is Tom Beehan, chair of the Children’s Museum board. (Submitted photo)

 

The Children’s Museum of Oak Ridge has blossomed under the leadership of Executive Director Mary Ann Damos, with added exhibits inside and improved grounds outside. One literal example is the once-overgrown back yard that’s now a blooming and attractive learning garden inviting children to grow, harvest, and cook the garden’s bounty.

Damos is retiring at the end of this year after 10 years as director and nearly 20 years with the museum. The Kids Go Green! Environmental Learning Center and Garden is one of her favorite areas of the museum and among the improvements she is most proud of.

“The garden transformed our building,” Damos said. “Plus, it teaches the children about the environment, to have concern for the earth, which is really important. The garden has become a part of events and activities throughout the museum. In the summer, for example, all the camps use the garden, whether for arts or sciences.”

Damos is spending her last weeks at the museum finishing some grant requests. [Read more…]