By BECKY KISER
Hays Post

McDonald’s of NorthHays, 3406 Vine, just celebrated its 39th anniversary and gave a gift to the Sternberg Museum of Natural History.

During a recent ribbon cutting ceremony to show off the restaurant’s newly remodeled interior and its new features, owners Gail and Rick Kuehl also honored Sternberg employees and Fort Hays State University with a $10,000 check to the Children’s Discovery Room.

“One of our belief systems when we first moved here was to give back to the communities because they come see us at McDonald’s and because we believe that’s important,” said Gail Kuehl.

“One of our favorite projects over the years, other than working with the schools, is the Sternberg Museum Discovery Room. When it first happened, McDonald’s was a big part of that and it’s always been pretty special to us.

“When we first opened the Discovery Room, (current museum director) Reese Barrick wasn’t here. But, (former director) Jerry Choate and I, and (former) Hays educators Nancy Harman and Nancy Talbott, along with a lot of other teachers, were on a committee to kind of design it and get it going. We wanted that educational piece.”

She presented an over-sized mock check to Barrick who was joined by Discovery Room manager Thea Boeckner.

After thanking the Kuehls, Barrick told the crowd Gail Kuehl was one of the first people he met when he came to Hays nine years ago. “She does love the children and the Discovery Room. Rick and Gail have been amazingly supportive since I’ve been here.”

Barrick noted the Sternberg Museum has been in its “new” location at 3000 Sternberg Drive nearly 20 years.

“This is the most timely thing,” Barrick said with a big smile on his face. “Thea and I along with the rest of my staff have actually just been talking about how we are ready to do some things to update the Discovery Room to make it special for kids and families in the years to come.”