Dinner Celebrates Museum’s 10th Anniversary

Where most people see a shuffleboard court, Floretta Lauber, president of the Arcadia Historical Museum Foundation, sees an educational center filled with children whose lives will be opened up to the whole world.

“When I look over at where it will be, I can see it,” Lauber said, gazing out over the space between the and the . “I see the children coming in. I see lectures, art, music--the possibilities are endless.”

Now Lauber and the other members of the foundation just need to find other people who share their vision.

To celebrate the 10th anniversary of the Ruth and Charles Gilb Arcadia Historical Museum, and to make people aware of the need for an , the foundation held a special dinner Sunday evening at the Arcadia Community Center.

Before the dinner began, guests had the opportunity to tour the museum where the exhibition, “Ten Years and Counting: The Legacy of the Ruth and Charles Gilb Arcadia Historical Museum,” is on display through Oct. 29.

With renderings of the proposed 2,600 square feet educational center on display, Lauber then told the crowd why such a building is desperately needed.

“We have a five star museum, but we have no room for classrooms, no place to hold lectures--this building will implement everything we need,” Lauber said.

The proposed building will have one large lecture hall, which can be divided into three separate classrooms. A gallery will run the length of the building and there will be kitchen facilities, restrooms and needed storage.

The foundation has raised $160,000 and needs about $300,000 more to fund the project. The dinner was an opportunity to find some founding partners to assist with the costs of the building.

“Tonight we’re here to familiarize people with the project and to woo them,” Lauber said. “To let people know what we’re planning and invite them to be a part of it.”