Philanthropy Today
Philanthropy Today
Wonder Workshop Children's Museum on the GMCF Community Hour Show Episode - 248
We share how Wonder Workshop is growing after a whirlwind summer, honoring Richard Pitts’ legacy while launching new programs, exhibits, and a reimagined Soul Food Dinner. We talk candidly about needs—supplies, volunteers, and funding—and how small actions keep the doors open.
• Remembering Richard Pitts and the roots of Wonder Workshop
• The giant blue chair as a beacon for new visitors
• Weekly preschool sessions with tripled attendance
• Rotating afterschool programs and Discovery Days
• Teen mentors supporting younger kids
• Soul Food Dinner moving to spring as an outdoor picnic
• Practical needs including supplies, volunteers, and donations
• Funding mix from grants, Grow Green Match Day, and sponsors
• New Evergy-funded energy exhibits and opening plans
• Address and visit details for first-time guests
Grow Green is a great opportunity. But if people are wanting to make year-in donations, there's a link on our website to do so.
Philanthropy Today is brought to you by the Greater Manhattan Community Foundation. In this episode, we feature a recently broadcast segment of the GMCF Community Hour, as heard on News Radio KMAN. And we are back with the GMCF Community Hour here on News Radio KMAN. And let's talk about things that are happening at one of my favorite places. I always try to give, at least on Grow Green Match Day, the Wonder Workshop Children's Museum. Katie Seal is the director. And is this your first time? You've been here before on this show as a director, haven't you?
SPEAKER_00:Not not without the director.
SPEAKER_02:Okay. But welcome back.
SPEAKER_00:Well, thank you.
SPEAKER_02:Yeah. It's good to be here. So how's this gig treating you?
SPEAKER_00:It has been great. It has been a whirlwind. I started in May and got here right as we were revving up summer camp. So it was a crazy summer, but we're settling. It's it's going really great.
SPEAKER_02:Good. You're liking it.
SPEAKER_00:I love it. Yeah. Yeah.
SPEAKER_02:Did you hear the passion in her voice?
SPEAKER_00:Yes. It comes from my toes. I really do love it.
SPEAKER_02:So you were the only one on my sheet, but you brought a friend along.
SPEAKER_00:I did. Yes. Yes. This is Lauren Farwell. She's the board president.
SPEAKER_02:How did you get involved in this, Lauren?
SPEAKER_01:Well, I went to Wonder Workshop as a child, and then we were close friends with the Pitts family. And after Pitts passed away and it was COVID, Wonder Workshop was shut down for a while. Um, they asked if I would join the board. And I've been on the board ever since. And I'm in my third year as president.
SPEAKER_02:So well, I am a member, and I don't have a card. I don't know if they ought to have a card for the Richard Pitts fan club.
SPEAKER_01:Yes.
SPEAKER_02:Uh such a dear friend. And uh my daughter was a frequent flyer down there at the museum when she was just a little girl, and even after her mother passed away. And and so Wonder Workshop is something that's uh very special to our family. And and Richard and my daughter, when she started teaching music over in Junction City, she'd have Richard come over and do some things for her elementary class, and he just loved that and she loved it more. Yeah, yeah, and the kids, oh, they just thought that that was the best. Yeah.
SPEAKER_01:I don't know that anybody met him that didn't love him, and vice versa. Absolutely, yeah, absolutely.
SPEAKER_02:He was love, yeah, period. Yep, for sure. So one of the great angels we've ever had in our community. So gone too soon.
SPEAKER_00:Yeah, that's right.
SPEAKER_02:But uh, you know, the the one of the legacies of Richard is not only the memory of his character, but also the museum. That's right. And Katie, you talk about coming off the summer, and it's busy, busy, busy during the summer, and uh you got things, obviously, in the works for fall. It's October.
SPEAKER_00:I know. It's weird. I know. Fall snuck up on us.
SPEAKER_02:Did I tell you I need to get my picture taken in that big chair you have there in your yard?
SPEAKER_00:You're welcome in the world.
SPEAKER_02:I think I need to do that.
SPEAKER_00:Yes. Yeah.
SPEAKER_02:That's one of those where's Dave pictures. Right. Yeah, then everybody's gonna want to do it.
SPEAKER_00:Well, you know, everybody who says, you know, I I've always driven by here and I I've always seen the blue chair, but I didn't know what you guys were. So it's an eye catcher. Yeah.
SPEAKER_02:That's a nice introduction to Wonder Workshop, then, isn't it? I hadn't thought about it from that perspective.
SPEAKER_00:It's a little bit of an eye catcher.
SPEAKER_02:What do you use it for?
SPEAKER_00:It the kids play on it. Uh-huh. So there's a little rock wall on the side that they can climb up onto it. So it's kind of like a little climbing street.
SPEAKER_02:So if I come over for a pick, I get to climb the rock wall. Yes, I can. Is it load-bearing? I mean, is it handle handle away typically?
SPEAKER_01:Can it bear a load?
SPEAKER_02:Okay. Well, Katie, tell me about some of the fall programs you got in the works.
SPEAKER_00:Yeah, so summer was great. Like I mentioned, it was a real whirlwind of summer camp. Um, so we took a couple of weeks in August to plan out our fall, and we have a lot of fun things going on for really for people of all ages, kids of all ages. So I'll start on the youngest end with our preschoolers. We are meeting once a week, once a week at 10:30 on Thursdays. And we have tripled our attendance at those events compared to last spring.
SPEAKER_02:Really? Yes. What do you attribute that to?
SPEAKER_00:I think maybe marketing. Okay. Um, people say when they haven't heard about us, they say, Oh, you guys are the best kept secret. Well, I'm yeah, one of my main goals is to not be the best kept secret, is to really let people know who we are, what we do, how much fun their kids can have. Because I think once they do, they'll be returning again and again. So for our pre-K kids, they come once a week. We do lots of fun things with them. Um, for the afterschool kiddos, or the sorry, the elementary age kiddos, we have an afterschool program that we just started. And we will rotate that each month. So we're right in the middle of our October one, but we'll have a new one in November and then several more next spring. So looking forward to that. And then we also have our school days out for what we call those discovery days for the school age program. Um, those are a ton of fun where we go on field trips and we go exploring and all the things that I did when I worked for Wonder Workshop in the 90s. We're trying to bring them back, trying to really, you know, open the kids' eyes to all kinds of fun things. And um, for our teenagers, we have a volunteer program where they can be mentors to the younger kiddos. So we really, we, we hit the whole range of kiddos.
SPEAKER_02:Mm-hmm. I just got a text message here from my friend Ryan who says, I never took him to Wonder Workshop. He feels unloved.
SPEAKER_00:Understandably so.
SPEAKER_02:He's going to want his picture in the chair too.
SPEAKER_01:I I definitely think you should start this picture in the chair. Don't you? I do.
SPEAKER_02:I think that that's a great marketing idea. Yeah.
SPEAKER_01:I love it. Yeah, okay. Yeah. All right. Yeah.
SPEAKER_02:Yeah. Where's Dave?
SPEAKER_01:Yeah, that's right.
SPEAKER_02:And then whoever else wants to follow. Where's Ryan? Where's Lauren?
SPEAKER_01:Yeah.
SPEAKER_02:Have you had your picture in the chair, Lauren?
SPEAKER_01:Um, I don't think I have. I have to do that.
SPEAKER_02:I know it's raining now, but you know, we uh we we got a lot of things. There's always um new programs, yeah, new exhibits, not just the big chair.
SPEAKER_00:Right. Yeah.
SPEAKER_02:But uh, you know, you talk about, you know, the excitement and the marketing that you've been doing and you know getting increased attendance. That's just great to hear.
SPEAKER_00:Yeah. It it's been it has been a lot of fun. I think um anybody who knows Wonder Workshop loves Wonder Workshop. We just need to make sure that everyone knows it's there.
SPEAKER_02:Yeah. So Okay. And and and just to be clear, let's give the address of the Wonder Workshop so that everybody does know where it is.
SPEAKER_00:You'll find the blue chair at 506 South Fourth Street.
SPEAKER_02:It's an adorable craftsman house that you do a lot of things. How many kids you get in there at a time? Um, well Do you have a fire marshal capacity number?
SPEAKER_00:We do, but I don't know it off the top of my head. But um Yeah, a bunch. We our summer camp usually has about 25 kids at a time. Okay. Yeah.
SPEAKER_02:All right. One of my favorite things, and it's been a while since I've been able to do it because of conflicts, but the soul food dinner.
SPEAKER_00:That's right.
SPEAKER_02:It's fall.
SPEAKER_00:Yep. Lauren is gonna share a little bit. Lauren. Yeah, yes, yes.
SPEAKER_02:I didn't realize why you had actually been brought in here.
SPEAKER_00:It was just she she brings the history, yeah.
SPEAKER_01:Yeah, okay. So the soul food dinner has been happening for many, many years. Richard started the soul food dinner really to honor the black community and bring soul food to Manhattan. And then it's also been the main fundraiser for Wonder Workshop each year. Um, and then since Richard passed away, it's also been a time that we get to remember and honor him as well. We usually do it in November. That's when it's always been, but we are making a little bit of a shift and we are going to be moving it to the spring.
SPEAKER_02:Really? No.
SPEAKER_01:And we are going to combine it with like an outdoor kind of a picnic type situation. Picnic type where we'll have we'll still have the same delicious soul food. And then, but we'll also have some outdoor activities and entertainment for everyone to enjoy.
SPEAKER_02:Awesome.
SPEAKER_01:Make it make it a bigger event than everyone. Sounds like fun. Yeah.
SPEAKER_02:Sounds like fun. You don't have a date set yet, though.
SPEAKER_01:We do not yet, but it will be sometime in the spring.
SPEAKER_02:All right. We'll have you back for that. Both of you, probably. Both of you.
SPEAKER_01:I love that. Okay.
SPEAKER_02:So the Soul Food Dinner in its new incarnation.
SPEAKER_01:Yes.
SPEAKER_02:In the spring. Yeah, good to know. So every nonprofit has some challenges. So let's talk a bit about some of the things that at Wonder Workshop, what are some of your greatest needs?
SPEAKER_00:Yeah. Well, that's a great question.
SPEAKER_02:Um, you wrote it out for me, so I uh I know. It's hopeful.
SPEAKER_00:Just pat my own self on the back. Um yeah, so we have a variety of needs. Um I'll start with the most basic, you know, just supplies. Um, regular old toilet paper, paper towels, Kleenex, all those kinds of things are just always a constant need. Um, and they're things that we have to dip into, you know, whatever money that we have in order to kind of make those things happen. So I'd say just those kinds of supplies are always necessary. Volunteers are something that I'd really like to increase at Wonder Workshop. I think there's a lot of people in our community who love children, who want to give back, whether they're retired teachers or people with college students with a little extra time on their hands. Um, we could always use those volunteers. Those volunteers can make, can really take us very far without having to dip into that budget for programming. Um, you know, if if it means right now we have a great volunteer who's coming in and helping us clean. So some people are behind the scenes, some people might want to volunteer with um directly with the kiddos. All of those would be great. So I would say if people have an interest in working with kids, we would love, or supporting a great community organization, we would love to have people. Um and then of course, money. Money is always, I think for every nonprofit, the biggest number one need is always trying to find a way to keep the lights on and pay the bills and do all the things that we need to do in order for the great programming that we have created.
SPEAKER_02:Do you have government grant monies that come and help you?
SPEAKER_00:We don't have any state or federal money. We have local city money. Sure. Um, hopefully, cross my fingers.
SPEAKER_02:We all are.
SPEAKER_00:Yeah. Um, and then we mostly are foundation grant funded.
SPEAKER_02:So things like Grow Green Match Day are big for you.
SPEAKER_00:They're huge.
SPEAKER_02:And what other fundraisers do you have?
SPEAKER_00:The Soul Food Dinner. And then we do we do a lot of corporate sponsorship asking. Okay. So all right.
SPEAKER_02:Plenty of opportunities to give.
SPEAKER_00:Yes. And you know, we're taking donations year-round. Grow Green is a great opportunity. Um, but if people are wanting to make year-in donations, there's a link on our website to do so.
SPEAKER_02:Okay. Well, I am going to have to schedule a time to come down, get my picture taken in the big chair.
SPEAKER_00:You bet.
SPEAKER_02:And it's been a while since I've been in. I bet it's changed totally.
SPEAKER_00:It has, yeah.
SPEAKER_02:I honestly I don't think I've been there since Richard's been gone.
SPEAKER_00:Yeah. You it will be wildly different. It was when I went. Yeah.
SPEAKER_02:Yeah. What what's changed since you've been you've been on the board five years? COVID time.
SPEAKER_01:At least, yeah. Probably pro or probably around five years. Um, just lots of the exhibits have changed in the way things are set up, and it's just really fun. I mean, you walk, you see this house and you're not sure what's in, and you walk in and it's like a world of fun, and there's different rooms, and each room has a different theme. And we're actually here in the next few months, we'll have a new exhibit. Um, that we got a grant from Evergy. And so we're working on some really fun energy related exhibits. So interesting. Yep, and we'll have a big kind of opening party for that once once that's up and running.
SPEAKER_02:Looking forward to hearing more about that.
SPEAKER_00:That'll be a good time for you to come take a picture in the chat.
SPEAKER_02:That one? That day? Do I have to wait that long? When's that gonna be?
SPEAKER_00:You could take two pictures. Okay.
SPEAKER_02:I can take a picture every time I come up. I'm down at the Hilton this afternoon for it, event. So just right across the street. Yeah. Yeah, I don't want to get my pants. You might want to wait a towel. Yeah, you might want to wait.
SPEAKER_00:Let's wait for a sunny day.
SPEAKER_02:We'll do that. Anything else, Katie, you want to touch base on?
SPEAKER_00:Um, I don't think so. I think that about it. Well, it's a delight to have you in.
SPEAKER_02:Thanks for coming down and joining us and sharing the story about Wonder Workshop and the great things you got in the works. Lauren, thanks for all the volunteer work that you do because that is uh that's a shining example. And you know, you and I first met through a chamber of commerce. Uh, you were one of the what, 15 under 40?
SPEAKER_01:Yep.
SPEAKER_02:Something like that.
SPEAKER_01:Yep.
SPEAKER_02:And uh, you know, you understand the value of the community of getting involved in the community and and certainly appreciate the work you're doing for Wonder Workshop and out and throughout the rest of the things that you do.
SPEAKER_01:Well, thank you. It's something I'm passionate about as well. And it's been very exciting.
SPEAKER_02:We need more of you.
SPEAKER_01:Katie join and the just seeing the vision for the future.
SPEAKER_02:So Yeah, yeah. Since May. Since May. Seems like you know what you're doing.
unknown:Yeah.
SPEAKER_01:At least you might have kind of gotten started a little before.
SPEAKER_02:How old are your twins?
SPEAKER_00:They're 15. Really? Yes. Yeah.
SPEAKER_02:They I remember when they were born.
SPEAKER_00:Yeah. They they're gonna drive to school tomorrow on their own for the first time. Oh my gosh. So if you want to stay home.
SPEAKER_02:I got nowhere to go. That's good to know. Yeah. Hey, delight to have you in. Congratulations on everything that you're doing and on the new gig. And looking forward to hearing more stories out of the Wonder Workshop. By the way, Wonderworkshop.org is the website where you can always find more and find Yon Forestry.
SPEAKER_00:Yeah. Thank you so much. Thank you.
SPEAKER_02:Back with the GMCF Community Hour in just a couple of moments. Carla Johnson is with the Salvation Army. She's got her Chiefs Red going. If you know Carla, you know she always dresses for the occasion. And we're going to about talk about some things with Salvation Army. And uh, we're getting, you know, here in October, we're going to talk about bell ringing season, among other things. It's the GMCF Community Hour here on News Radio KMA and back in a moment.