Discovery Place KIDS-Rockingham has received a $25,000 contribution from Southern Pines-based Sandhills Pediatrics, Inc., part of a $500,000 fund-raising objective set by the medical communities in the Sandhills region for the new children’s museum. The Sandhills Pediatrics gift is earmarked for the “I CAN Be Healthy” theme area of the museum, designed to educate children about the importance of living a healthy lifestyle. To date, $303,000 has been committed to this effort.
“Sandhills Pediatrics’ dedication to outstanding care and service for their young patients is reflected in their commitment to the community that serves those children,” said John Mackay, president and CEO of Discovery Place, Inc. “It has been gratifying to see the medical professionals in this region work with our project’s Medical Advisory Group to help create an educational opportunity that will teach important life lessons to the next generation.”
Founded by Dr. David Bruton and the late Bill Clarke, Sandhills Pediatrics has served the children of Moore County and the Sandhills region since August 1966 and presently has a staff of ten board-certified pediatricians and three certified pediatric nurse practitioners. The practice has been recognized by the National Committee for Quality Assurance as a Patient Centered Medical Home, Level 2, meaning that they have met specific elements of compliance across nine standard categories.
Sandhills Pediatrics also has been recognized at the state and national levels for quality improvement efforts such as asthma, oral rehydration, post-partum depression and Reach Out and Read.
“The partners of Sandhills Pediatrics are excited to be able to financially support a Discovery Place KIDS in Richmond County,” said Bill Stewart, M.D., Sandhills Pediatrics. “We feel that the opportunity to have a facility of this caliber in our region, especially for children, is a very worthy investment.”
“Sandhills Pediatrics is enabling us to open new educational doors for our children, to create excitement about learning, and to continue to build our community,” said John S. Stevenson, M.D., recently retired from Charlotte Radiology and chair of the Discovery Place KIDS-Rockingham Medical Advisory Group. “We are grateful to have a practice that is so committed to our youngest residents helping launch such an important community asset.”
The Discovery Place KIDS-Rockingham project was launched by the commitment of $6.6 million in funds from the Cole Foundation and the Richmond Community Foundation. Their visionary leadership gifts, which were facilitated by The Foundation For The Carolinas, are intended for the long-term sustainability of the museum.
Discovery Place KIDS-Rockingham will open in 2013 on E. Washington Street in downtown Rockingham and will be an experience that encourages imagination, creativity and skill development for children and their caregivers. The continuing capital campaign will secure the funds needed for renovation of the building, program development, exhibition design and fabrication and long-term support, upgrades and maintenance.
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