Lansing - Six-year-old Madelyn Panganis wiped cake and ice cream off her face as she squinted into the evening sunlight.
“I love cake,” the Wiliamston Discovery Elementary first-grader proclaimed. Madelyn joined dozens of children and adults at the 30th birthday party of Impression 5 Science Center on Wednesday in Lansing.
The center, which features educational, hands-on activities designed for children, is described by Executive Director Ellen Sprouls as a place where “kids can come in, can throw things, blow things, spin and get wet.”
Some birthday activities included crafts like “planetary headdresses,” “Alka-Seltzer rockets,” “flying oddities” and face painting.
A dedication ceremony for the center’s new Sept. 11 memorial garden was also held as part of the activities. The garden, which is nestled between the old, red brick walls of Impression 5, began as a way to help employees cope with the stress of Sept. 11.
“We were just sitting around bummed,” Impression 5 employee Eric Larson said. “We had to do something, so we started digging to relieve frustration.”
Larson glanced at the garden with pride. “I never hoped in my wildest dreams that it would be this nice,” he said.
The garden, composed of donated flowers and plants, features a sculpture in the center depicting two upturned faces.
Laingsburg resident Cyrus Miller said he originally created the statue two months before Sept. 11 as a portrayal of two people singing. But after the attacks, he said, his “Duet” seemed to take on a new meaning, as many interpreted the faces to be praying or crying.
“When you put your pieces of work out there, you never know where they’re going to go,” he said. “It’s gratifying to know it has that kind of meaning for people.”
During the ceremony, local leaders including Lansing City Council vice president Carol Wood spoke to the group. Wood said the garden will be a good addition to Lansing.
“Having something that helps reflect on the change in the nation is critical,” she said. “It allows people to come together and have a moment of peace.”
