Staerkel Planetarium fund drive receives major donations

CHAMPAIGN – Parkland College has pledges of $250,000 in its campaign to raise $1.2 million to upgrade Staerkel Planetarium, officials announced Thursday.

At a planetarium party staged on the 50th anniversary of the launch of Sputnik, foundation head Carl Meyer said donations by Supervalu, the Linda Mills and Lois Dixon estates and Mary Lou Staerkel, widow of the late William Staerkel, are the first in the fundraising campaign. Meyer said he's working on two more major donations.

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