Reader supports arts in Moses Lake

I am shocked the Moses Lake City Council is considering temporarily "shuttering" the Moses Lake Museum & Art Center and the Larson Recreation Center. It is a black eye for Moses Lake if cultural and recreational programs become expendable during a budget crunch. Cultural and recreational amenities are a major factor for families and companies choosing to relocate to our community.

I scanned our local paper for things to do when I moved to Moses Lake in 2010. I found a piano concert at the museum and have been a regular visitor ever since. My interest in their programs has encouraged me to attend several meetings of the Grant County Historical Society and grown my interest in our regional history.

Growing up in Cincinnati I visited museums a few times as a child. Now that I'm retired I wish I had made them a bigger part of my life! Not only do I enjoy Moses Lake Museum's programs, I volunteer there and I have a family membership. The museum is a place for my family to connect. I meet my daughters & son-in-law there for events. My wife takes art classes and volunteers with me for Free Family Saturday.

From the tourists I meet in the gallery to the kids and families that take classes or participate in Free Family Saturday, there are few other places where so many different people can come together and learn about their place in the world. I see the Moses Lake Museum as a "gem" of our community. You better believe that other communities in this state are looking to Moses Lake as an example of excellence in supporting arts, culture and recreation. We can make or break the quality of life in Moses Lake by the stance we take on these issues.

Steve Czimbal

Moses Lake