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Table of Contents Board of Trustees
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50th Anniversary Committees
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About Museum of Discovery & Science
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A Letter from the President & CEO
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30th Annual Wine, Spirits and Culinary Celebration
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4th Annual Visit Lauderdale Science Festival
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A Golden Luncheon: Celebrating 50 Years
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Birthday Parties for MODS
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A Golden Finale Dinner: Looking Toward 50 More
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Other Opportunities
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Board of Trustees EXECUTIVE BOARD
TRUSTEES
Chip LaMarca Chair The LaMarca Group
Moises Almonte PNC Bank
Dominick Miniaci, Esq. Dominick F. Miniaci, P.A.
Dr. Ana Benedetti, DMD, MSD Benedetti Orthodontics
Yessenia Perez AARP
Ronald L. Book, Esq. Ronald L. Book, P.A.
Stacy Ritter Visit Lauderdale
Rick J. Burgess, Esq. Gunster
Brandon Singer CTS Engines
Anita Byer The Human Equation
Shea Smith, CPA Baker Tilly
Baldwyn English Florida Power & Light Company
Eric Spann Southern Wine & Spirits
M. Austin Forman American Marketing & Management Inc.
Kenneth Stiles Stiles Corporation
Erick Strati Vice Chair Wells Fargo Joshua Bass Secretary JM Family Enterprises Brian Clay Treasurer BankUnited Johnathan Robertson Immediate Past Chair Create Capital
David Greenberg Greenberg Capital & Martin B. Greenberg Foundation Debra Hixon Broward County School Board Brian Huseman Amazon Derek Javarone Northern Trust Sandra M. Juliachs Bank of America Robert B. Lochrie, III, Esq. Lochrie & Chakas, P.A.
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Shane Strum Broward Health Jon L. Swergold, Esq. Greenberg Traurig, LLP Nicky Tesser JetBlue Philip Verde Truist Bank Bill Zito Florida Panthers
50TH ANNIVERSARY CO-CHAIRS
30TH ANNIVERSARY WINE EVENT HONOREES
Katy and Jon Ferrando
Steve Halmos and Keith Koenig
Brian Huseman and Todd Lard Eileen and Charles “Chip” LaMarca Stacy Ritter and Russ Klenet Brittany and Ken Stiles
SPARK FOR THE 50TH Mimi Bauer Gale Butler Diane and Rick Burgess Linda Carter Kim Cavendish Jan Crocker M. Austin Forman Julie and Robert Huebner Alice and Mike Jackson Derek Javarone Anne Joyner Katie and Joe Masucci Ginny and Tom Miller Brooke and Robert Lochrie Brandon Singer Leslie Tworoger
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30TH ANNIVERSARY WINE EVENT COMMITTEE Kim Bokamper Darin and Ryan Cronin Alan Hooper John Magee Tim Petrillo Eric Spann
50 Years of Golden Moments For 50 years, the Museum of Discovery and Science (MODS) and its predecessor, The Discovery Center, have been at the forefront of informal science education, welcoming 500,000+ guests and program participants who come from all 50 U.S. states, 51 Florida counties and 28 foreign countries annually. Through four educational content pillars – Early Childhood, Environmental Sustainability, Health & Wellness and Physical Science & Innovation – MODS achieves its mission of Connecting People to Inspiring Science. The MODS experience is extensive and evolves to meet the needs of children and families in our region, from a fleet of MODS STEMobiles impacting 50,000+ youth annually (with 95% of programs provided at no cost through donor support), and paid Workforce Development Internships for 117 high school youth. Every investment in the Museum expands access to science, technology, engineering and math (STEM) for our children, nurturing their curiosity and creativity as we inspire the next generation of innovators, critical thinkers and leaders.
Marketing Highlights As a 50th anniversary sponsor, you will be recognized and reach the following audiences: • 6,000+ Member households • 500,000+ Museum visitors a year • 185,000+ engaged email subscribers • Advertising print reach exceeding 100,000 and digital reach exceeding 5 million
Sponsor Benefits MODS will tailor benefits and experiences commensurate with gift value and according to your needs. Engagement opportunities include: • Company logo inclusion in print and online • Company name listed in print • Private Museum cocktail receptions and events • Museum employee/client day • Access to invitation-only events and experiences • Premier seating at events • VIP experiences at events 4
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A Letter from the President & CEO Golden Moments. Infinite Discovery. Fifty years ago, Junior League members in our community believed that children and families in Broward County deserved a place devoted to curiosity, discovery and science. That idea began modestly in 1977 as The Discovery Center in Fort Lauderdale’s. As our community grew, so did our museum and in 1992 the Museum of Discovery and Science and IMAX® Theater opened as an anchor in the city’s revitalization. Since then, more than 15 million visitors from around the world have experienced MODS. As we celebrate our 50th anniversary, we have much to look back on with pride. But I believe the best anniversaries do something more important than celebrate where we have been. They challenge us to imagine where we are going next. Throughout five decades, MODS has continued to evolve because science has changed, our community has changed and how people learn have changed. Yet our mission remains steadfast – connecting people to inspiring science. That connection begins for MODS when a young child wonders at something for the first time and asks “why?”; continues when a teen recognizes life’s possibilities through our workforce internships; or brings science learning into our community through a fleet of STEMobiles launched during the pandemic. As we continue to connect people to inspiring science, we have also continued to invest in experiences that combine the enduring power of hands-on learning with technologies that allow us to tell stories in entirely new ways. In our AutoNation® IMAX® Theater, we have made the deliberate choice to preserve our extraordinary 15/70mm film projection capability (allowing us to break our all-time IMAX® attendance record with The Odyssey) while also investing in spectacular cutting-edge dual-laser digital technology. Our new HoloTheater, the first custom-built holographic theater of its kind in the United States, brings immersive storytelling into another dimension. And our newest permanent exhibition, Build a Better World: The Future Begins with You integrates environmental learning and emerging technologies such as artificial intelligence, while asking children not simply what scientists know, but what they might do with that knowledge. While technologies surrounding children today will change enormously, the abilities they need remain profoundly human – to think critically, to be confident as decision-makers, to cooperate with others and to care about the world around them.
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That same philosophy guides our role as Broward’s Hub for Resilience Education. Our work in resilience combines environmental literacy with something equally important: hope. We want children who are confronting climate change and other complex challenges to understand that they are not powerless in the face of them. Our responsibility is not simply to prepare children to live in the future. It is to help them believe they can shape it. Our 50th anniversary, Golden Moments. Infinite Discovery, is therefore much more than a retrospective. It is a bridge into that future: expanding access to science learning, developing the next generation of STEM talent and extending MODS’ reach through innovative initiatives such as the new MODS Deerfield Beach Nature Center. Throughout our anniversary year, we invite the community that built MODS to celebrate with us through opportunities such as our 30th Annual Wine, Culinary and Spirits Celebration, 4th Annual Visit Lauderdale Science Festival, A Golden Luncheon: Celebrating 50 Years, community and family celebrations and A Golden Finale Dinner, hosted by Katy and Jon Ferrando. These are celebrations, certainly, but they are also invitations. To remember a first visit to MODS. To introduce a child to science. To expand access to MODS for disadvantaged families. And ultimately, to help determine how MODS will intentionally reshape itself to equip future generations with the skills required to navigate a rapidly changing world. I feel an enormous sense of responsibility when I think about that legacy. No one owns an institution like MODS. For a time, those of us working here are simply its caretakers. Our job is to honor the people who built it, make it stronger and more relevant and eventually place it in the hands of the next generation. Fifty years ago, this community imagined what MODS could become. Now it is our turn. The next 50 years begin now. Let’s build the future together. Joseph P. Cox President & CEO
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30th Annual Wine, Spirits and Culinary Celebration OCTOBER 23, 2026 Presented by Bank of America
Thirty years ago, two South Florida visionaries, Steve Halmos and Keith Koenig, helped create an event that would become one of MODS’ most celebrated traditions. Today, the 30th Annual Wine, Spirits & Culinary Celebration is more than an unforgettable evening of food, wine and community — it is a celebration of legacy, leadership and the power of people who believe in giving back. Join us in honoring their legacy and shaping what comes next. Become a sponsor, reserve your place at this extraordinary celebration and help MODS bring the power of STEM and d iscovery to even more children and families across South Florida.
mods.org/30wine
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SPONSORSHIPS
TICKET PACKAGES
$5,000 – $55,000
$1,500 – $2,900
4th Annual Visit Lauderdale Science Festival JANUARY 16, 2027 Presented by Visit Lauderdale
Get ready to get curious! The 4th Annual Science Festival is bringing the wonder of science, technology and innovation to life as part of MODS’ 50th anniversary celebration. Designed to spark curiosity and ignite imaginations, the Festival will fill the Museum with hands-on experiences, incredible demonstrations, cutting-edge discoveries and opportunities to meet the people behind the science. It’s a celebration for curious minds of all ages and an opportunity for businesses and organizations to put their passion for STEM in the spotlight. Join the excitement as a sponsor, exhibitor or Festival supporter, and help us create an unforgettable experience that inspires thousands of South Florida families and fuels the innovators of tomorrow.
SPONSORSHIPS mods.org/sciencefest
TICKETS
$3,000 – $25,000
FREE
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A Golden Luncheon: Celebrating 50 Years MAY 21, 2027 Presented by Amazon
Fifty years is worth celebrating and MODS knows how to throw a party! Join us for a lively anniversary lunch filled with unexpected moments, playful surprises, inspiring stories and a few twists you won’t see coming. Bring your colleagues, friends and clients and experience the impact of MODS beyond the exhibits as we celebrate five decades of making science accessible, inspiring curiosity, building STEM skills and empowering generations of South Florida students to imagine and create the future. Whether you join us as a sponsor, a table host or a guest, you’ll be part of a milestone celebration that honors where we’ve been, celebrates where we are and sets the stage for the next 50 years of discovery. SPONSORSHIPS mods.org/goldenlunch
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$5,000 – $20,000
TICKET PACKAGES Tables Tickets
$2,250 $250
Birthday Parties for MODS SPRING & SUMMER 2027
MODS is turning 50 and you’re invited to the party! Beginning April 16, 2027, grab the family and join us and join us for a birthdaycelebration made for curious kids and the young at heart! We’ll have cake, music, dancing and plenty of birthday fun with MODS’ favorite mascots, Joey and Spot. It’s a chance to celebrate 50 amazing years of discovery, make some memories and dance your way into the next 50! Come celebrate with us!
SPONSORSHIPS mods.org
TICKETS
$5,000 – $20,000 Free for Members Included in Museum Admission 10
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A Golden Dinner: Looking Toward 50 More NOVEMBER 13, 2027 Hosted by Jon and Katy Ferrando
End the celebration on an unforgettable note. Join us for an extraordinary evening at the beautiful home of Katy and Jon Ferrando, where an intimate gathering of MOD friends and champions will come together to toast 50 years of discovery. This exclusive, seated dinner will feature a celebrity chef-prepared menu, exceptional food and wine, unexpected moments and a little MODS magic. An evening this special is reserved for a select circle of guests who share our passion for MODS and believe in inspiring what comes next. Come raise a glass, celebrate the journey and help launch the next 50 years of discovery.
SPONSORSHIPS mods.org/50dinner
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$10,000 – $50,000
TICKET PACKAGES $5,000 couple
Other Opportunities to Support STEMobile Bringing MODS beyond our walls, the STEMobile delivers hands-on STEM experiences directly to schools and communities at no cost, expanding access to engaging science education for thousands of students across South Florida.
Youth Internships: Aviation Academy & EcoExplorers MODS invests in the next generation through meaningful paid internships that give students hands-on experience, professional skills and mentorship while opening doors to careers in STEM.
Auto Nation® IMAX® Theater The AutoNation® IMAX® 3D Theater transforms science and storytelling into an immersive experience, transporting audiences around the world, beneath the ocean and into the far reaches of space while inspiring curiosity about our planet and universe.
Animals That Call MODS Home MODS’ animal ambassadors, from reptiles and sharks to other fascinating creatures, create memorable, up-close encounters that connect visitors to the natural world and inspire a deeper understanding of wildlife, conservation and our shared environment. Support these opportunities by visiting mods.org/donate
Questions: For questions, please email samantha.leitch@mods.org or call 954.713.0918.
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401 SW Second Street
Fort Lauderdale, FL 33312
954.467.6637