Jewish Family Service of Metropolitan Detroit With your suppor through the Friends of the Family Campaign, Jewish Family Service is... ...a resource for older adults and their loved ones. Harriet is 86 and lives in an apartment in Oak Park. With assistance from JFS Transportation to medical appointments and Home Care services, Harriet is able to remain living at home. Last year JFS .0 411114 ) Provided 29,000 rides for over 1,000 individuals in neec of transportation to medical appointments and their work place Connected nearly 400 individuals with more than 50,000 hours of Home Care Services to support daily needs • Assisted close to 600 Holocaust Survivors obtain restitution and other services Your Donation Can Make a Difference www.jfsdetroit.org/friend 248-592-2339 16 December 13 • 2012 metro Eureka! Science Center to reopen in Detroit, thanks to a little help from a Jewish businessman. Harry Kirsbaum Contributing Writer W ith a new name, a new board and the help of a Jewish businessman, the Michigan Science Center (MSC) in midtown Detroit will reopen its doors on Dec. 26. Founded in 1970 and at its cur- rent location since 1978, the Detroit Science Center underwent a $30 million renovation and expansion in 1999 and reopened in 2001. But financial difficul- ties began to grow in recent years. In September 2011, the center closed its doors and went into foreclosure with $10 million in debt. Ann Arbor businessman Ron Weiser purchased the center's building Ron Weiser and assets for $6.2 million from Citizens Republic Bankcorp Inc. in June, as a way to prevent the bank from liquidating the center's assets. "I have a 12-year-old son who came here at age 10 with his mom and excit- edly talked about the center. I read in the Detroit News last February that it was being foreclosed:' said Weiser, who serves as finance chair of the National Republican Committee and was former Ambassador to the Slovak Republic under President George W. Bush. "I said, `That can't happen: I was in the right place at the right time. It's about the kids and education:' During the past year, the center was reorganized as a nonprofit, established a new board of directors comprised of 21 business leaders, including Patrick Conroy, executive vice president of the Penske Corporation; Scott Kunselman, a senior vice president at Chrysler; Raj Nair, a group vice president at Ford; Shelly Otenbaker, a senior vice president of Eisbrenner Public Relations; and Weiser's wife, Eileen, a member of the Michigan State Board of Education. The center raised more than $5 mil- lion in gifts or commitments from 25 organizations, including the General Motors Foundation, ITC Holdings Corp. and Nissan to repay Weiser. "There's a lot of business people deal- ing with the center — the mission, the strategy, the tactics and the financial oversight that quite often nonprofits lack:' he said. Weiser also plans to give a "substan- Michigan Science Center tial" annual gift to the center. "I believe gifts to institutions like this should be annual so that they don't become depen- dent on large amounts of money up front, then run out:' he said. MSC board chairman Thomas Stephens, also the retired vice chairman of General Motors, said the center is projecting about 260,000 visitors annu- ally, and the admission fees will generate close to 70 percent of its annual budget. The Dec. 26 opening will include "Bodies Human: Anatomy in Motion:' an exhibit that looks inside the skeletal, muscular, respiratory and circulatory systems of more than 100 human bod- ies. The center features five theaters, including an IMAX theater, a plan- etarium and a science hall for traveling exhibits, but it's fun and games with a purpose, Stephens said. "The United States is seeing fewer graduates with engineering, science and technical degrees. In the future, that will translate into the United States falling behind in science, technology, engineer- ing and math, what we call STEW he said. "It is our vision to become the pre- mier center for innovative, participatory STEM experiences in Michigan and the Midwest. "We look forward to creating alliances that assist with advancing informal STEM education through multiple plat- forms and technologies statewide, while also sparking the imagination of chil- dren, families and teachers:' he said. The center is working on initiatives to make the museum world class, Stephens said. It aspires to become a premiere research center for innovative STEM experiences across Michigan; recruit and train high school and college stu- dents to become "STEMgineers," who will explain the exhibits and answer questions from visitors; collaborate with other museums institutions and schools; and provide teachers professional devel- opment opportunities. ❑ Michigan Science Center The Michigan Science Center will be open: Dec. 26, 2012 -Jan. 6, 2013 (closed Jan. 1, 2013) Weekdays from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m.; Saturday from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m.; and Sunday from noon to 6 p.m. Jan. 12-13, 19-20 and 26-27 Saturday from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m.; and Sunday from noon to 6 p.m. Starting Jan. 30, 2013 Wednesday-Friday from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m.; Saturday from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m.; and Sunday from noon to 6 p.m. General admission tickets $12.95 adults $9.95 children and seniors Bodies Human exhibit $20.95 adults $17.95 children and seniors An additional $3 allows entry to the Human Body IMAX film at the Center.