Our History
TIMELINE
JANUARY 2022
Garden City native Trevor Hands & his wife, Jenny, recognize a need in the community with the lack of entertainment/education options for young children and families to enjoy, especially during the colder and hotter months of the year.
FEBRUARY - OCTOBER 2022
Trevor & Jenny Hands meet with the Finney County Economic Development Corporation monthly to brainstorm steps needed for getting a children's museum established in the area.
OCTOBER 2022
Red Dog Children's Museum gets its 501(c)3 status on October 21st.
MARCH 2023
Red Dog Children's Museum establishes it's bank account with Dream First Bank and starts discussions with potential business partners.
MAY 2023
Red Dog Children's Museum enlists GC native and graphic designer, Emily (Rishel) Mitchell, to create RDCM's logo.
JUNE 2023
Red Dog Children's Museum receives its first grant and sponsorship. Thank you Finney County Convention and Visitor's Bureau and Garden City Co-Op!
NOVEMBER 2023
Red Dog Children's Museum receives its first grant and sponsorship. Thank you Finney County Convention and Visitor's Bureau and Garden City Co-Op!
APRIL 22, 2024
Red Dog Children's Museum presents to the Finney County Farm Bureau.
MAY 2024
Red Dog Children's Museum officially kicks off the "Roaming" Museum with its first event with Garden City Downtown Vision at Food Truck Friday at Stevens Park.
Red Dog Children's Museum attends it's first "Interactivity" conference through the Association of Children's Museum, of which RDCM is a member.
AUGUST 28, 2024
Red Dog Children's Museum presents to the Rotary Club of Garden City.
SEPTEMBER 3, 2024
Red Dog Children's Museum presents to the Southwest Kansas Area Builder's Association.
SEPTEMBER 26, 2024
Red Dog Children's Museum forms their founding board and has their first board meeting.
Executive Director - Jenny Hands
Chair - Jenette Turpin
Vice Chair -Lindsay Butterfield
Secretary - Stephanie Wills
Treasurer - Leslie Morgan
Director - Jennifer Cunningham
Director - Rebecca Huber
Director - Lexie Ortega
OCTOBER 10, 2024
Red Dog Children's Museum attends GCCC's Early Childhood Development Advisory Board
DECEMBER 3, 2024
RDCM participates in their first MatchDay campaign with WKCF.
DECEMBER 18, 2024
Evanni Servantez takes Rebecca Huber's place on the board for Compass representative
DECEMBER 19, 2024
RDCM raises over $6,000 through the MatchDay campaign
JANUARY 14, 2024
RDCM joins the Southwest Kansas Children and Families Network Interagency Coordinating Council.
FEBRUARY 1, 2025
RDCM takes board and staff to their first field trip to the Kearney Area Children's Museum in Kearney, NE - one of the closer children's museums to Southwest Kansas.
APRIL 7, 2025
RDCM debuts their "Thunder Hooves Rhythm Crew" drum circle curriculum at Wiley Elementary School's music program "Too Many Toys".
MAY 10, 2025
RDCM starts their second year!
MAY 23, 2025
A brick & mortar location is found at 407 N. 8th Street in Garden City!
AUGUST 19, 2025
Dove Award Winning Singer-Songwriter Mitch McVicker is the headliner act to kick off RDCM's capital campaign to renovate the space into a children's museum for Southwest Kansas.
OCTOBER 4-5, 2025
Red Dog holds a rummage sale to boost efforts to raise money for renovations
DECEMBER 2, 2025
RDCM participates in their second MatchDay campaign witih WKCF
DECEMBER 18, 2025
RDCM raises over $16,000 through the MatchDay campaign
DECEMBER 25, 2026
RDCM raises a grand total over $50,500 towards renovations to submit to a possible matching grant with the Department of Commerce
FEBRUARY 7, 2026
RDCM takes board and staff to their second field trip to the Don Harrington Discovery Center in Amarillo, TX - the closest children's museum to our South.
FEBRUARY 19, 2026
Andres Rivas joins the board.