Children’s Discovery Center construction complete

By Chris Fortune

Members from the St. Joseph Chamber of Commerce are helping the Mosaic Life Care Foundation celebrate its newly finished inspireU Children’s Discovery Center today.

Mosaic Life Care Foundation board members gave remarks during the ribbon-cutting event at 521 Felix St. and thanked the donors who helped make the Children’s Discovery Center possible.

“It’s so different in the space—large as life—compared to the plans and the drawings that we did in the past,” Director Katherine Patterson-Paronto said.

There are 10 staff members inside who will work inside inspireU with about four volunteers a day coming to help with operations.

Experience manager Taylor Lee said he was impressed by the rapid development inside of the Children’s Discovery Center over the last month.

“I’m just amazed by how quickly our construction crew and our design and exhibits have come together,” he said. “They’re all incredible.”

Many local businesses are featured in exhibits throughout the discovery center with displays showing their role in the community.

“A lot of companies came in and have been huge, wonderful supporters from the very beginning,” Patterson-Paronto said. “I just found it to be a lovely experience to really get to know them.”

The Children’s Discovery Center includes more than 20 exhibits for children to enjoy from infancy to age 10, starting with a series of soft openings on Friday.

“There’s lots of interactives that anyone from infants to our oldest-aged ten-year-olds would be able to have a good time with.” Lee said.

A series of soft openings will begin Friday through Sunday. Anyone interested in attending the soft openings can purchase tickets at https://mlcfndn.ticketapp.org/portal/product/19/events.

“I’m really excited to get to the work of welcoming families and adults with children who care about them into our space,” Patterson-Paronto said. “It’s going to be high-energy, lots of fun and I’m just going to soak it all in.”