PANAMA CITY, Fla. (November 22, 2008) – Commemorating 40 years of service to the community, the Junior Museum of Bay County prepares to construct a new educational and cultural center which will serve as the focal point of the facility. The three-phase project is made possible in part by a generous donation from the St. Joe Community Foundation (STJCF) in honor of Pamela Selton Ingram, the Foundation’s first executive director.

The STJCF Board honored Ms. Ingram’s service with a $100,000 gift to the organization of her choice. Ms. Ingram chose the Junior Museum of Bay County, and thus, the Junior Museum will be a recipient of Ms. Ingram’s generosity for four years with annual pledge payments of $25,000.

“Even during this economic downturn when very few new grants are being awarded, it was imperative to us to honor our commitment to Ms. Ingram for her tireless dedication and service to the region,” said Lewis Howell, board member, St. Joe Community Foundation. 

The Foundation, represented by Howell, presented a $100,000 check during the Junior Museum’s 40-year celebration event in recognition of Ms. Ingram’s contributions during her tenure as executive director of the St. Joe Community Foundation.

Along with the award presentation, the event allowed past Junior Museum of Bay County board members and the public to trace the rich history of the museum and realize its promising future. From its inception in 1968, the museum grew and evolved following the Women’s Club and Junior Women’s Club of Panama City’s vision, which included fulfilling the needs of a diverse audience of children and adults alike. With assistance from several civic organizations, it recently reached 40 years of dedicated service to the community, and will continue to expand with the growing demand of its services.

“We are incredibly grateful for our partnership with the St. Joe Community Foundation and thoughtfulness of Ms. Ingram,” Rae Cotton, executive director of the Junior Museum said. “We will be afforded endless opportunities because of this new educational and cultural center and look forward to seeing it come to fruition.”

The new educational and cultural center will allow for increased visibility, more parking and a central entrance point to the museum. The Foundation’s generous contribution also will allow the museum to host more summer classes and events.