Volunteer spotlight

Did you know that TCM is 100% run by volunteers?? No one gets paid, not even our board members. 

Over the past year we have had some AMAZING people volunteer with us periodically and a couple that have decided to stick around for a more long term opportunity. 

I'd like to take a moment to introduce you to our Design Committee Chair - Cara Deetz and our Programs Committee Chair - Susan McCoy. Without these women TCM would be lost. They, along with our board members and committees are responsible for bringing our exhibits to life and into the community!

I asked them to share with you a little bit about themselves below - if you'd like to know how you can be more involved with TCM sign up for our newsletter here - or hop on over to our contact page for specific needs we are trying to fill!

Cara Deetz
Design Chair

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How long have you been in the Temple area and what brought you here?
I’ve been in the Temple area since May 2017. I have family here and my husband got a job here!

What interested you most about working with TCM?
I’ve always worked with kids and my degree is in art education. Getting to use my passion in art and working with kids, while constructing exhibits in which children can learn is really rewarding!

What is your favorite memory with TCM to date?
A fellow exhibit design committee member and I took a day trip down to Austin for a couple meetings for upcoming exhibits. We got to know each other a lot better, while also having some very interesting experiences! My tire blew out, we were late to our first meeting and what I we thought was going to be a few hour trip, turned out to be a very long day. BUT- it was fun getting to know her better both professionally (talking through what directions we’d like the museum to head) as well as personally (through some crazy experiences together).

How do you spend your free time (besides working with TCM)?
I spend time with family and friends. I also enjoy doing art projects, cooking, and baking.

What does TCM mean to you?
TCM has been a great way to meet new people as well as really grow me in ways I haven’t yet experienced! I love getting to work with the Exhibit Design Committee and really enjoy watching the array of talented people we have on our team come together and really dream up some really awesome ideas for exhibits. But not only the dreaming, but their ability to make it become a reality.

Susan McCoy
​Programs Chair

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How long have you been in the Temple area and what brought you here?
Although we've lived in Belton 17 years since my husband's retirement from the military, I moved into Temple ISD 10 years ago after teaching elementary classroom and finally visual arts in Killeen and Belton. Temple ISD was actively moving toward recognizing education through the eyes of multi-intelligent students and accommodating student learning from different perspectives making it an exciting place to be!

What interested you most about working with TCM?
I retired this past May having taught 21 years feeling as though education was not an adventure anymore. So just by chance, when I discovered the Temple Children's Museum as a work in progress I could not have been more excited to have found a new adventure and that missing link where students and teachers could surprise each other while making their own discoveries! I truly believe children's museums and schools working together to advance learning is a win, win relationship.

What is your favorite memory with TCM to date?
My favorite memory and "this is it!" moment came when Kathrine and I introduced The Paws & Claws Vet Clinic as a traveling exhibit to Chisholm Trail Elementary in Belton for Career Day. The kids were excited and interested. We learned from each other. The students were able to experience for themselves what becoming a Veterinarian might be like, all from make-believe and play. (So many "light bulbs" going off it was almost blinding!).

How do you spend your free time (besides working with TCM?
It's funny to think I spend my free time reading and researching, traveling to see family and just sightseeing, drawing and building stuff and searching for the new and unusual.

What does TCM mean to you?
Temple Children's Museum fits perfectly into what I find natural to do. The best part about Temple Children's Museum is the adventure in learning I was afraid was lost but now, 
very soon,  will to be an adventure in our children's future!