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» Dane Hansen Foundation Update» Doc, the B-29 Exhibit

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» 2019 Cosmosphere Camp Registration is Open!

Last summer, the Cosmosphere introduced a new project to the aerospace camp experience—art! With close instruction provided by Disability Supports of the Great Plains client artists, students participating in Cosmosphere Camp 501 created space-themed clay artwork.

Since the camp season, DSGP and the Cosmosphere have been working to create an even longer-lasting partnership. A newly renovated DSGP building in downtown Hutchinson has a specific workspace dedicated to the Cosmosphere/Clayworks initiative. Called “CosmoWorks” the space will be used to further the interaction between the two groups of individuals, with planned camp art projects led by the client artists and staff of DSGP, and space and science educational presentations led by Cosmosphere staff. In addition, and following the successful conclusion

of three “test camps”, Disability Supports and Cosmosphere leadership are also working towards a series of regularly scheduled camps for individuals with intellectual/developmental disabilities

which will be offered well beyond the borders of Reno County

to include potential participants on the

national and even international levels.

Rick Staab, President and CEO of DSGP, said he could always envision the client artist’s roles expanding into

something more. “Inevitably, we knew

there would be a point where our artists would

reach levels of ability and professionalism that would

allow them to share their incredible gifts and skills with others,” he said. “Our Clayworks artists have the capacity to make any initiative successful, often more so than you or I, because they have no paradigms or limitations that impede their potential. Our artists go all in, wrap

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A Cosmosphere Space 501 camper carefully etches his clay creation.

CosmoWorks: A Sign of Good Things to Come

Hansen Foundation Continues Funding for Cosmosphere Outreach to NW Kansas

The Dane G. Hansen Foundation has awarded the Cosmosphere $100,000 per year for the next five years to continue to provide unique STEM educational opportunities to Northwest Kansas students.

This announcement follows a successful fall semester of Cosmosphere outreach programs to the Northwestern part of the state, funded through a previous Hansen Foundation grant. Due to the success of those programs and high-demand

cosmo.org

SUPPORT/DONATE The Cosmosphere would not exist without the incredible generosity of passionate supporters like you. Please consider the Cosmosphere in your annual giving and estate planning.

Contact Mimi Meredith, Chief Development Officer, at 620.665.9339 or mimim@cosmo.org to learn more about how your contribution of any size can help the Cosmosphere grow and thrive.

VOLUNTEER Cosmosphere volunteers are an integral part of the organization’s daily operations. Without volunteers, the Cosmosphere would be unable to conduct the wide variety of programs and services now offered.

For more information on volunteering at the Cosmosphere, contact Marla Eriksen, Volunteer Coordinator, at 620.665.9320 or marlam@cosmo.org.

EXECUTIVE TEAM:JIM REMAR President and CEO

STEVEN BIRDSALL Senior Vice President of Administration and CFO

MIMI MEREDITH Senior Vice President of Development and CDO

JACK GRABER Vice President of Exhibits and Technology

MICHELE MCCARTNEY Vice President of Marketing and Creative

NATHAN MEYER Vice President of Strategy and Product Innovation

NEWSLETTER SUPPORT TEAM:Michele McCartney Vice President of Marketing and Creative NEWSLETTER LAYOUT + DESIGN

Carla Stanfield Public Relations Coordinator NEWSLETTER CREATIVE WRITER

Kelsey Genschorck Marketing + Development Assistant

For address and information updates or to be added to email updates: kelseyg@cosmo.org.

Marla Eriksen Membership + Volunteer Coordinator

For membership information: membership@cosmo.org or 620.665.9320.

For general information about the Cosmosphere, please contact info@cosmo.org or 620.662.2305.

COSMOSPHERE GOVERNING BOARD:Sally Cauble Leann Cox Steve Dechant Jordan Fee Treasurer

Carter FileChad GerickeTroy HuttonMarla Mckee Chair

Andrew NolanJoe OntjesMike PritchettJim RemarTony Schleich Vice Chair

Morgan Starkweather Secretary

Eric SteinleDebra Teufel Vice Chair

Tonya WitherspoonShawn Wyatt

COSMOSPHERE FOUNDATION BOARD:Tom Giller Chair

Melanie Green Steven Hawley David Kerr Kent LongeneckerRussell Reinert Jim Remar Mike Schaffter Secretary/Treasurer Rick Staab Vice Chair Vicki Westerhaus

Dillon’s CommunityRewards ProgramJoin the Dillons Reward Program and help the Cosmosphere earn credit!Dillon’s Community Rewards program allows the Cosmosphere to earn credit for each purchase you make at Dillon’s just by using your Plus Card.

TO ENROLL IN THE COMMUNITY REWARDS PROGRAM:

1. Visit the Dillon’s Community Rewards website at: dillons.com/communityrewards

2. Sign in- OR- Create an account

3. Click “Enroll Now”

4. Enter the Cosmosphere’s 5-digit NPO #JQ325

5. Select the Cosmosphere and click on “Enroll”

DILLONS REWARD PROGRAM FUN FACT: Twenty-one households who shopped at Dillons between 10/1/2018 and 12/31/2018 have contributed to our $157.29 total donation. Just think what we could accomplish with 100 more supporters on board! Thanks to those of you who have taken the time to sign up! Breaking the $10,000 a quarter goal is just a click away…

OUR MISSION STATEMENTInspiring Innovation Through

Science Education and Honoring the History of Space Exploration.

Learn about our Corporate Partnerships at cosmo.org/get-involved/corporate-partnership

Cosmosphere Corporate Partners:

KansasVirginiaOklahomaMinnesotaNebraskaArkansasCaliforniaKentuckyTexasColorado New MexicoIllinoisMissouri

CanadaMexicoAustriaAustraliaSwitzerlandGuatemalaGermanyChileIndiaEnglandCosta RicaNetherlandsItalyChinaRussiaJapanDenmark

North CarolinaFlorida Connecticut WisconsinUtah IdahoOregonSouth Carolina Hawaii MontanaLouisianaNorth Dakota South Dakota

Mongolia New ZealandPanamaPolandPortugal

IndianaArizonaMichigan Maryland GeorgiaOhio New York NevadaMaine Pennsylvania WyomingIowa Washington

ScotlandNorwaySwedenTurkeyFranceIrelandBelgiumBrazilSouth AfricaBritainSpainArgentinaCzech RepublicDubaiIcelandLatvia Malta

TennesseeNew Jersey Maine North DakotaAlabama Mississippi Rhode IslandNew Hampshire Delaware VermontWashington D.C. Puerto Rico GuamWest Virginia

South KoreaThailandWales

From where in the world did visitors come to visit the Cosmosphere in

2018?STATES/TERRITORIES

COUNTRIES

Tell us YOUR story!

We’d love to hear from you!

Email your story to info@cosmo.org

We are the Glenn family, distant relatives of John Glenn, and our son Wyatt has loved your program for years!

He joined the Cosmosphere program in Space 101 after his studies in the Young Astronauts program in Connecticut, and this year he can’t wait to go to the JPL with some lifelong friends. The Glenn family applauds the Cosmosphere and all the exciting windows to the past and future that it presents our fortunate children.

Keep up the great work.

God Speed, Maia Fitzpatrick

FROM THE COSMOSPHERE’SINBOX

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Annual FundContributorsMission Control$99 and UnderCargill, Inc. David and Kim ClarkTimothy and Shannon CollinsSteve and Julie Drach William and Susan FrensleyPaul and Maureen GillDarren HernesRosemary HoaglandAaron HoweGlenda JannerSarah JohnsonKenneth and Barbara KeeferNick and Cathia KrehbielTom and Ellen McCarleyJoseph O’CrowleyDavid and Mary PyleLinda RasekAl and Gail RennerMichelle ReppKenton and Jennifer RossChad and Jennifer SimmelinkScott and Shirleen TuckerLars UllmarJim and Patricia VanCampenPeeranut VisetsTravis and Susan WhitacreMartin Wisneski and

Lisa HammerThomas Greene

Lift-Off$100 to $499Black Laser LearningTextron Aviation Gary and Linda BergstromCarla BickelJerry BostickBuz and Nancy CarpenterKenneth and Jane DavidsonFrank and Sally DepenbuschJane DronbergerRichad and

Deborah Dunn-SmootTom EigstiRichard and Jane FalterLeslie and Karen FreemanJames and Karen GillilandBetsey GoeringBruce GranheimJerry and Janice GreenSylvia GriggsDavid HagoodJames and Suzanne HewesNorman KarlinJames and Sondra KirkpatrickThomas and Eileen Kubica

Alex KvassayVyrl MackeyJames and Marilyn ManleyThomas and Jackie MayhewEric and Robin McGonigleMike and Terri McQueenJay and Ellen PortnoyLloyd Ralph and Cynthia MillsJudy RinkerJesus RomanJohn and Lorene ShafferTimothy and Janet SpreckerJohn and Peg StephensPatsy StoeckerJames and Betty TaylorMarolyn Wilson

Mercury Club$500 to $999Julie and Todd BickelGerald BlocherSteve and Sally CaubleRay ConnellAlan and Maria GravesChristopher and Helene KainJerrell PriessGeraldine RayHelen Weeks RogersJeffrey and Linda SchladerKenneth and Irene ShawPete Skeggs and Beth HutchinsThomas and Lois Smith

Gemini Club$1,000 to $1,999JR and MJ Wilson FoundationMary F. and Albert Baker

Memorial TrustLila BerkleyJustin and Dottie CernikDavid and Dee DillonDenise GreggRonald and Anita PfisterRobert ShearsPete Skeggs and Beth HutchinsLeo StockhamWayne and Helen UnruhJohn Wildin

Apollo Club$2,000 and aboveRobert and Martha BufordIone Hardy

Planetarium StarsBob and Donna Becker

Shuttle TilesBrian and Nancy BergerKenneth Schlegel

Education FundContributorsBeach-Edwards FoundationScholarship & Field Trip FundBeach Edwards Family

Foundation

Cernik ScholarshipJustin and Dottie Cernik

Cosmosphere CampScholarship EndowmentBuzz BallWilliam and Dana CoinAdrian and Patricia ColeCharles and Nancy ColeLibby GardnerMarilyn LynchChad and Karen Moore

Education OutreachDane G. Hansen Foundation

Richard Ehling MemorialScholarshipConocoPhillipsPhillips 66Rod BergkampRick and Karen BoswellDenise K. Hallman

Hamilton ScholarshipSuzanne Hamilton

Trevor Hodges MemorialScholarshipRoy Korbe

Lechtenberg ScholarshipEncana CorporationTravis and Karen Lechtenberg

Margo Mack MemorialScholarshipRobert Wood Johnson

Foundation Kristin L. Silvani and

Martha M. Bleeker

Frank Mohesky MemorialScholarshipMary Ann CoxMary Anne DemerittRaymond Imre, Jr. and

Joann ImreDonna Mayfield

(In memory of Dave Long)Neil and Frankie SnyderSherry Crane

Raphine Sheperd ScholarshipBoeing CompanyDexter Schnebly

Stolzer Family FoundationScholarshipStolzer Family Foundation

MemorialsShorty Brown(Patty Carey Endowment)Greg and Mimi Meredith

Elwin F. CabbageMargaret Cabbage

Patty Carey andKatherine Hall GatesIone Hardy

Virginia Lou CarterFriends of Maxwell, Inc.Richard and Gail BandyLyle Butler, III and

Christene ButlerMary ClineJim and Andrea EwertRoger and Shirley FickViola HulsMary Lou ReardonGlory S. Spikes

Konrad Dannenberg Gary Svec

Roy E. DunnRichard Smoot and

Deborah Dunn-Smoot

Lewis E. KollhoffBarbara Kollhoff

Dorothy Fontron andMax MurrayLeo Stockham

Shirley Stanley NeedhamSherry Kay

James F. Saunders, Jr. James Saunders, III and

Susan Saunders

Helga A. Whiteside(Revitalization)Glenn and Monica Whiteside

TributesMK ConnellAlan and Nicki Mulally

Tom Giller (Endowed Funds)Russell and Nancy Reinert

Mimi MeredithWayne and Doris Livingston

Carl E. RothDeborah Matthew

Jill WeinloodDiane Lee

Thank you.Russell and Nancy ReinertFrank and Sheryl RemarHarold and Janet RyanRichard and Kristine SbaschnigMike and Betty SchaffterNyrna Setty-KelleyJohn and Lorene ShafferJeff and Dana ShoemakerThomas and Lois SmithJerome and Ruth Ann SpitzerTimothy and Janet SpreckerMike and Kyle SpurginEric and Kim SteinlePatsy StoeckerAllen and Ida StoneBonnie SummersRobert and Charlotte SummersDoris SuttonWilliam and Marilyn SwearerJames and Betty TaylorPearl TedfordDan TilsonJeremy Wangler and

Michaela SaundersSean and Beth WeaverMark and Venus WebsterDoug and Vicki WesterhausTravis and Susan WhitacreGlenn and Monica WhitesideKenneth and Deanna WillardMartin Wisneski and

Lisa HammerPhilip WoodJerry and Joan WrayMark Yackley and

Laura Farrell-Yackley

Special UnderwritingLeawood Venture CapitalMosby Lincoln FoundationRobert GreenKent and Diane LongeneckerDavid MurfinStan Wingate and Darla NealGale and Georgia PremerJay and Connie SchrockRobert and Kathleen Taylor

Tributes Cont.Those still following thealgae home (Revitalization)Darren Hernes

Tom and Eddie and all camp staffDonald and Linda Bloomfield

CosmosphereFoundationEndowmentPatty Carey EndowmentNancy ColeLaura CoreyJon and Berna DavisWayne and Helen Unruh

RevitalizationAirbusCox CommunicationsDevore FoundationFirst National Bank

of HutchinsonHubco, Inc.James A. and

Juliet L. Davis FoundationLuminous Neon, Inc. Meyer Charitable TrustSuperior Boiler Works, Inc.Viega, LLCDon and Ann AdamsShirley AlpersBo Andersen and

Deborah BriggsKaren AndersonGustaf ApplequistBrent AuernheimerRoy and Ann BakerBonnie BakerDale and Karen BareDeloris BeatyBob and Donna BeckerCharles and Bonnie BenscheidtDanny and Laura BergmanLila BerkleyCarla BickelEdward and Janice BoltBennett BrennerAlex Carvalho and

Jade Piros de CarvalhoSteve and Sally CaubleKeith CooleyScott and Betsy CoonsLeAnn CoxWilliam and Christine DavisChad and Kail DenisonJack and Bonnie DiekmanDave and Barb DowningSteve and Julie Drach

Joan DunnJane EriksenElna FagerRichard and Jane FalterDaniel and Kim FeeCarter and Tracy FileMary FloydSteve and Elaine FontaineKrystina FurstChad and Lisa GerickeCraig and Ruth GibsonMichael GillerRobert and Rosalie GoebelMaria GoldsmithEllen GorskyRobert GreenSylvia GriggsGlen and Christi GrunwaldDavid HagoodDon and Pat HalbowerSuzanne HamiltonJames and Sandra HaskellGregory and Andrea HenneDena HessSue HoganRichard and Glenda HooperTyler and Mary HughesDalton and Sara Jane HuntTroy and Nikki HuttonRandolph and Pamela JohnstonHal JudyKenneth and Barbara KeeferLee and Joyce KellyDavid and Patty KerrSharon KimbellPaul and Elizabeth KinzieJerald KlutzkeRobert and Sharyl KohrsJudy LangleyMichael LevinVyrl MackeyWilliam and Judy MasonStephen Mayeri and

Patricia TierneyCharley and Linda McCueMike and Karen McJunkinGreg and Mimi MeredithRyan MillerJon MollhagenBarbara MortiHang NguyenMarvin and Sheryl NipperKelsey OcelloSam and Judy OntjesBrandon and Lori ParksDavid and Kathy PaulsHarley and Rebecca PeeryBill and Linda PfenningerTom PooleJay and Ellen Portnoy

The Cosmosphere would like to thank all of our 2018 Donors for their generous contributions throughout the year. (As of December 7, 2017–January 20, 2019. Donors giving after January 20 will be recognized in our next newsletter.)

CONTINUED ON PAGE 11

Patty Carey, Cosmosphere founder, looked up to the stars in awe and wondered. That was the beginning of the vision she had for the Cosmosphere. Wonder is critical to the discoveries that move mankind forward. For the Cosmosphere to continue to be the place where wondering is celebrated and the quest for understanding is cultivated, support from donors will always be required. Our donors become advocates not only for the Cosmosphere, but for the ideals represented in the foundation of scientific analysis and the kind of technology-supported thinking that will shape our future. In turn, we celebrate and honor those donors who make our mission possible!

Contact Mimi Meredith, Chief Development Officer, at donate@cosmo.org if you’d like to donate to the future of the Cosmosphere.

Make a Difference

CONNECT WITH US!

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Hansen Foundation Continues Funding

CONTINUED FROM PAGE 1

for continued opportunities from educators, the Cosmosphere applied for and was granted the continued funding.

“The Cosmosphere has been an outstanding partner,” said Betsy Wearing, the Coordinator of Programs, Communications and New Initiatives for the Dane G. Hansen Foundation. “Students and educators are so excited with the STEM activities and lessons the Cosmosphere staff are bringing into the schools, and the Cosmosphere offers lessons for every grade level that adhere to Kansas curriculum standards. We could not be more pleased with this initiative and the professional staff at the Cosmosphere,” she added.Though the Cosmosphere served nearly 17,000

students in house during 2018, this grant allows the space and science center to send its educational programs on the road to schools and students who may not have the chance to travel to Hutchinson.

“The Hansen Foundation trustees believe our classroom teachers do a great job, but also recognize that learning is enhanced when students can experience hands on educational opportunities – beyond the traditional classroom. For many of our rural schools, traveling to some of the amazing places in Kansas which offer those opportunities is either impractical due to distance and time, or financially impossible, so we wanted to bring those opportunities directly to the schools,” explained Wearing.

“We are honored to be chosen as a Dane G.

Hansen Foundation partner,” said

Mimi Meredith, Cosmosphere Chief Development Officer. “This gives us the opportunity to reach more students across the state with

the interactive lessons which let

them see science brought to life in new

and engaging ways. And hopefully, they’ll

come to the Cosmosphere in Hutchinson to learn even more!”

Cosmosphere outreach programs are tailored to fulfill each particular school’s or educator’s needs. Programs can fit inside a school day, or educators may choose to expand the offering to stretch over a couple of days and cover a variety of topics. All programing offers students an opportunity to learn from hands-on activities and meets educational and classroom standards. Additionally, group sizes can range from one classroom to an entire student body of a school, or even a district.

To find out more about Cosmosphere Outreach programs, visit cosmo.org and click on ‘Outreach’ under the ‘Education’ tab. If you have questions, or if you would like to schedule a program for your school, please contact Helene Kain, Cosmosphere School Programs Manager, by emailing helenek@cosmo.org.

Above: Students in Dodge City, KS, are learning to program robots to navigate a course. Right: Community members from Dodge City try their hand at underwater robotics.

Above: Atwood USD 105 thank you note. The

Cosmosphere spent two days in Atwood and served 385 students.

These handwritten thank you letters were written by students from Stockton USD 271. The Cosmosphere visited approximately 210 Kindergarten through 7th grade students from this district November 19-20, 2018.

“Thank you for coming and teaching us stuff we did not know.”

“ I liked making ice cream.”

“My favorite part about the Cosmosphere was the planitariem!

It was so cool!”

“My favorit part was the planetariem!”

“My favorite thang was the iskrem.”

“My favorite thing was all the fun I had with you. Thank you!”

“My favorite was the botl rocets.”

“My favorite part was living in space!”

“My favorite part was everything. I hope you come back next year!”

“Thank you for coming. Dane G. Hansen and Cosmosphere.”

“Thank you for coming to show us stuff about the Cosmosphere. Also thank you for letting us be able to

learn about space.”

“My favorite thing was the exploding trash can.”

“My favorite part was making paper rockets, but I loved the whole thing. I hope the Cosmosphere can come

back next year.”

IN THEIR OWN WORDS:Quotes from USD 271 students

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December 1, 2018

Pictures available atcosmo.org/event-pictures

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We are GO for AAA!Adult Astronaut Adventure: The perfect weekend experience for adults who love space!

Last summer, I had the chance to attend the Adult Astronaut Adventure (AAA), and I had an absolute blast! I’m embarrassed to say it, but this was the first time I was able to attend a space-related camp. This may come as a shock to those who know me, seeing as how I’m a self-described space nerd, podcaster, and writer, but it’s the truth.I went into this experience not knowing what to expect since this was the first time I had been to a Cosmosphere camp. I was pleasantly surprised from day one. Friday night was the first part of AAA, and it included a great show at the Planetarium. That evening was spent getting to know my fellow campers over wine and cheese. It was wonderful to be able to chat with everyone and learn what brought them to the Cosmosphere, besides our apparent love of space. 

On Saturday we started by separating into teams, I found myself assigned to Delta Team. We had fun doing activities that ranged from what we would pick for a survival kit on another planet, to programming robots to complete

an obstacle course without human intervention. We trained, completed a model rocket launch, experienced 4Gs in the centrifuge, saw artifacts in the archives that aren’t on display, and generally had a blast on Saturday. 

Sunday was mission day. All of the teams took turns in

the Shuttle simulator, launching, deploying

a satellite, then returning to Earth. During Delta Team’s flight, the flight controllers had a bit of fun with a simulated electrical error that threatened

our mission. Delta Team took it in stride

and fixed the errors, bringing the Falcon

back to Kennedy Space Center in one piece. 

Wheels stop was a bittersweet moment for the camp. It meant our mission was over and it was time to start preparing to head back to the real world. I’m so glad I took a weekend to experience something I had always wanted to do. I believe I speak for all the campers when I say that we had as much fun as the kids that come to the Cosmosphere; experiences like the Adult Astronaut Adventure bring out the kid in all of us.

Above: John Mulnix, takes a “ride” in the Soyuz trainer in the Cosmosphere’s camp area. Below: Mulnix and his team members give a “thumbs-up” during their mission.

By Cosmosphere Volunteer, John Mulnix

LAUNCH YOUR COSMOSPHERE CAMPS

ADVENTURE!Discover more at cosmo.org/camps

Live out your space-geek dreams,

and enroll in AAA now!

Contact the education coordinator at 620.665.9323

or camps@cosmo.org for more details!

ENROLLING NOW!August 2-4, 2019

Thank You, Donors!

Anonymous In Honor of amazing counselors who inspire big dreams

Anonymous In Memory of Lillie Zwick

Bob and Donna Becker In Honor of Kate Becker

Shawn BiberdorfPatrick Broxterman

In Memory of Han Solo who died along with my childhood at the hands of Kylo Ren

Vincent Capone Black Laser Learning, Inc.

Jason ClarkGary Fruland

In Honor of Walter Fruland, My Cousin, NASA Protocol Officer for Neil Armstrong

Krystina FurstCarlos and Lisa Garcia

In Honor of my three favorite campers with gratitude to the Cos for helping them to dream big!

Ted and Wendy HobartMichael HughesChelsea IwigStephen KelleyMichael KluzakGary and Marla McKeeGlen Meyerowitz

In honor of Jason ClarkJohn MulnixChris and Rachel NelsonTravis and Lindsay NordwaldJonathan OliverBrandon and Lori Parks

In Honor of Helen Unruh, who inspired so many of us to learn and teach and push the envelope!

Tony SchleichRobert Schmidt andBarbara Mathers Schmidt

In honor of Mimi MeredithMichael StaabDoug and Vicki WesterhausBrett Zongker

Ruben Alvero and Karen KoskiBob and Donna BeckerLeAnn CoxSteve and Julie DrachCarlos and Lisa GarciaRobert GreenChris and Shannon HornerEva ImmichRichard and Mary KlubaCharley and Linda McCueJohn Mckee

Gary and Marla McKeeGreg and Mimi MeredithJoe and Angie OntjesRussell and Nancy ReinertRoger RickardMike and Betty SchaffterJeffrey and Linda SchladerTony and Kim SchleichAnne Marie SeilerDell SwearerCaleb Torello

RAISED: $8,185Thank you to all who contributed to our firstcrowdfunding campaign!

RAISED: $11,385Thank you to all who contributed and to ourmatching donor!

Dave and Patty Kerr have been long-time donors to the Cosmosphere. Not only will you often find this couple supporting events hosted by the organization, but the Kerrs have another special connection to the Cosmosphere—they currently live in the home built by Cosmosphere Founder, Patty Carey and her husband, Jake.

The Kerrs recently gave a commodity donation of grain to the Cosmosphere and we sat down with them to learn more about this unique way to give back.

Q: Why do you choose to give to the Cosmosphere?A: The Cosmosphere has been one of the attractions in Hutchinson which makes this place truly unique, not only in the state, but in the entire country. This is a very valuable organization to our community and we feel we need to not only support the Cosmosphere financially, but tell its story as well.

Q: How does a commodity donation work?A: Anyone who has grain, or corn, etc., which they normally sell, can choose instead to donate the grain to a charitable organization. This allows the revenue to flow through the organization instead of the owner. In our case, we gave the grain to the Cosmosphere, which briefly took possession of the commodity, then the museum sold it and was able to directly benefit from the revenue.

Q: Why should someone consider a commodity donation?A: Especially with the new laws regarding higher standard deductions, this option allows money to go directly to the charitable organization and the owner of the commodity does not have to record the revenue. In a state full of farmers and land owners, a commodity donation is just a good option to consider.

Donor Spotlight: Dave and Patty Kerr

“This is a very valuable organization to our community and we feel

we need to not only support the Cosmosphere financially, but tell its story as well.”

– Dave and Patty Kerr

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their arms around a project and embrace every aspect openly. It is truly the spirit of artistic

achievement in its purest form.”

Eden Craig, a Cosmosphere 501 camper from Raymore, MO, enjoyed the project last summer. “It’s really fun to learn from and work with these amazing people,” she said. “This project allowed more personalization of the camp experience and I’m able to bring something home to show my friends and

family.”

Space 501 camp counselor Blake Lee said when the campers toured NASA’s Jet

Propulsion Laboratory in California, art was specifically mentioned.

“We were on a behind-the-scenes tour, and our guide brought up the need for artists on the JPL team. They need creative-minded people in design all the time,” Lee said.

“We think it’s important to continue to stretch our campers’ experiences, introducing them to new ideas and new people,” said Brad Nuest, Cosmosphere Director of Education. “Not only does the art encourage creativity and very different thinking than what these students generally do, but we are providing them an opportunity to work with people who are also quite different than those they likely normally interact with. We feel it’s a win-win!”

CosmoWorks CONTINUED FROM PAGE 1

Above and to the right: Cosmosphere Space 501 campers carefully apply glaze to their artwork.

Christine AdcockDavid and Cynthia AllenMark ArnoldKelsey and Geneva BentonTerry and Dee BisbeeJessica and Tom BrocklemanMichael and Heather BrownJames ClassenDana and William CoinCraig and Trish DarroughKarla DegnerRobert and Theresa DillardJennifer and Russell DoyleDustin EdwardsLaura and Timothy FawcettLarry and Jann FrutigerJamie GeorgeJohn GouldJim GrimwoodTom HickersonDwight and Heather HirtRobert and Melissa HorsemanSarah and Evans KimaniAnneliece and Randall KowalikDrew LeyGlenn and Sandra LoutsenhizerBrenda LowerTyson and Carrie McElhineyEynulla-Yuri and Kamilla MekhtievAaron MercerJohn MulnixZahedi NiamatRonda and Larry OchsnerJoshua and Susan OrenderCharles and Carrie ParkMichael PennockHarry Peterson, Jr.Tom PooleVicki ReedLeanne RehmeChris ReppIsabella RobertsMatthew and Monica RoeswerVal SchmiedeskampScott SherradenJulie Siller SteenAngel SmithTeresa and Jim SorlieKevin and Charissa SpencerKelsey and Jeremy SundgrenJodi and Paul SwansonNatalie TillitsonLars UllmarStacy and Todd WebbMark and Betti WeissJohn and Mary WhisenhuntTonya and Steve WitherspoonMaynard and Jaynie Yutzy

WELCOME NEW COSMOSPHERE MEMBERS! (As of October 9, 2018 – January 29, 2019)

Here are a few of the perks:

• Free entrance into the Hall of Space Museum

• Discounts on tickets to shows & early access to special events

• Premiere screenings of new documentaries and other “members only” special events

• Discounts in the Cosmosphere Gift Store

• And more...

For more information on becoming a member of the Cosmosphere, or enrolling your child in the Junior Astronaut Club, contact Marla Eriksen, Membership Coordinator, 620.665.9320 or membership@cosmo.org.

Discover more at cosmo.org/membership

What are the benefits of becoming a Cosmosphere Member?Have you been thinking about becoming a Cosmosphere Member but are unaware of what membership includes?

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In 1998, a WWII B-29 bomber was rescued from Mojave Desert. In broken, sun-parched pieces on seven flat-bed trailers, Doc (as the SuperFortress was named) made the trek from the aircraft boneyard in California to the town where it had been assembled more than 50 years earlier: Wichita, Kansas. For the next 16+ years, hundreds of volunteers would donate more than 450,000 hours to painstakingly restore the aircraft. After twice running out of funding, Doc was finally deemed airworthy and in 2016 began life anew, as a living, flying museum. However, the organization of volunteers who oversaw the project, called Doc’s Friends, had one more goal in mind—they wanted to build a hangar for the historic warbird in its hometown.

“We had three goals,” explained Josh Wells, a member of Doc’s Friends. “Our first two, to get the plane airworthy and to have it act as a living museum, we’d

Many families and veterans joined in the celebration of the ribbon cutting of the hangar and education center in January.

What’s Up, Doc? Cosmosphere is part of exciting new B-29 exhibit in Wichita, KS

Above: The B-29 Doc Hangar and Education Center opened to the public in January 2019. Right: A visitor to The B-29 Doc Hangar and Education Center reads about the restoration process of Doc.

accomplished. Our last goal was to give Doc a home,” said Wells.

The group knew a hangar was needed for maintenance of the aircraft, but hoped to be able to offer more to visitors who came to see Doc. As plans developed, the vision became to provide a combination of hangar and hands-on educational museum.

“We knew we wanted this to be more than a ‘museum’, we wanted visitors to truly be engaged,” said Wells. “We wanted people to see and touch and learn about the history and these heroes—both the war heroes and the heroes of this project—our volunteers—and we knew the Cosmosphere could take that vision and make it a reality.”

So, the science center and space museum was contracted to help with the project. SpaceWorks, the restoration and

fabrication division of the Cosmosphere, began working on the exhibit design, wall graphics and layout of the visitor’s and education center portions of the new facility, including historic exhibits and the assembly of the artifact cases, while the Cosmosphere’s education team worked to create a coinciding educational curriculum.

“This project helps us fulfill our mission,” said Jim Remar, President and CEO of the Cosmosphere. “We’re honored to have a role in sharing Doc’s story and preserving this history. We hope it helps inspire the next generation of aviators and STEM career-minded individuals.”

Visitors to the B-29 Doc Hangar and Education Center, which opened to the public at the end of January on the Dwight D. Eisenhower National Airport campus, have the opportunity to watch technicians maintain the one of only two

operational B-29s in existence today. Artifacts from WWII and the B-29s are also on display for visitors to take advantage of, like the crew tube—where one can crawl through to a reproduced version of the navigator’s station or radio-operators station, just as a crew member on the original B-29 would have done.

Wells said he feels the final project is a success and is excited for the public to be able to better understand the legacy of Doc, the history of aviation in Wichita and the sacrifice of the men and women who’ve served our country.

“It’s very humbling to give the volunteers, the war heroes and Doc a home and to be able to showcase this work, as only it could be done here in the ‘Air Capital of the World’,” concluded Wells.

The exhibit design, wall graphics and artifact cases in the B-29 Doc Hangar and Education Center were designed and crafted by the Cosmosphere. Seen in the foreground is a to-scale crawl-through tunnel which in a B-29 connects the cockpit to the gunner compartment. In the Doc Education Center, children are encouraged to crawl through the tunnel from one end to the other.

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