Rotary's Hands-On Project Elevates Sunflower Child Development Center

DECORAH — Representatives from the Decorah Rotary Club and the Sunflower Child Development and Discovery Center convened on Thursday, September 5 at 4 p.m. to celebrate the culmination of a 2024 Rotary project supporting the new Discovery Center facility. The Rotary Club's additions to the Discovery Center include a large playhouse with balcony, a smaller "drive-through" playhouse, indoor safety perimeter fencing, and a K'nex Building Station incorporating a six-foot-tall ferris wheel inherited by Sunflower from the former Donlon's toy store in Decorah. To bring the project to fruition, the Decorah Rotary Club secured a grant from Rotary District 5970 and contributed its own matching funds to achieve the $10,000 needed for the project. This contribution was featured at the Thursday event in the presentation of a ceremonial check from the club. Rotary Club members also contributed nearly 250 hours of labor and all of the detailed design and construction expertise required for the project. Spahn and Rose Lumber in Decorah assisted Rotary by providing discounted raw materials. The Sunflower Discovery Center, slated to open later this fall, will be an interactive children's museum. It aligns with Goal #5 in the City of Decorah's Iowa Great Places Vision Plan by creating a "Quality Gathering Space" for children and families, especially important given there are currently no such indoor play spaces in Decorah or Winneshiek County. The Discovery Center will have at least six themed Science, Technology, Engineering, Art/Music and Math (STEAM) learning centers. It will prioritize active learning through movement, exploration, and play with indoor-age-appropriate playgrounds and active learning and exploration areas. The Rotary project was facilitated by close collaboration with the Sunflower Board of Directors and staff and numerous Rotary volunteers. It represents an important contribution to the Discovery Center's mission of offering a memorable experience and quality of service to children and families in Decorah and across northeast Iowa. Knowledge is power! Stay empowered by subscribing to the free newsletter, packed with valuable insights, stories of local newsmakers and ideas to get your weekend started.