Sep. 12 -- GRAND FORKS -- The Grand Forks Children's Museum is moving onward and upward in its fundraising efforts with the success of a recent charity dinner and upcoming events.

Now, museum staff are working to recognize the donors who are making the museum a reality. Most recently, the staff highlighted a half-million-dollar donation by the Daniel and Marilyn Kuhlman Family Fund.

"We're asking our donors if we can do press releases," Executive Director Katie Mayer said. "We're just getting permission from donors one by one."

The Daniel and Marilyn Kuhlman Family Fund made the $500,000 donation to the museum early in the fundraising process, she said. Since Daniel Kuhlman's death on Sept. 9, the museum has been in contact with the family for permission to write about their family fund's donation. The Kuhlmans have been contributors to multiple organizations and charities over the years, including Grand Forks Public Schools, Grand Forks Community Foundation, Mayo Clinic and others.

Over the years, they also have made philanthropic efforts to support art programs, social services, health initiatives, music education and environmental stewardship, the press release about their donation said. Daniel Kuhlman was owner and president of Grand Forks-based Acme Tools for nearly 60 years.

The Kuhlmans jointly issued a statement about the donation, saying that family is the core of the Daniel and Marilyn Kuhlman Family Fund.

"We have raised our family here in Grand Forks. Our children are grown, and our extended family has shared values, passions, and a desire to make a positive impact on the community that we value and embrace," their statement said.

The Kuhlmans also said "every child deserves a place to dream, discover, and create and celebrate childhood wonder. It is our hope that this donation will make a difference for the museum and for the community."

Mayer said that the Kuhlmans' donation was among the first to the museum, "which was very impactful to the project, and a driving force (for) the momentum the project has gotten."

She added: "We're very grateful for the Kuhlman family, and I know that Daniel Kuhlman was very passionate about this project and really wanted to see it come to fruition in Grand Forks."

The museum's release about the donation -- sent to the Herald on Thursday -- said the $500,000 gift from the Kuhlmans "has helped turn the vision into reality, leaving an indelible mark on the hearts of children and families alike."

. Though exact numbers haven't been calculated, a fundraising dinner -- titled "The Star Seekers Charity Dinner" -- at the Cloud 9 Events Center in The Olive Ann Hotel downtown also raised dollars for the museum's $45 million goal. About 240 tickets, which cost $150 each, were sold. The 25 celebrity servers at the dinner "stepped it up," she said, with some people who didn't attend the dinner sending money over Venmo, an online paying service.

People who donated and purchased items at the dinner far exceeded Mayer's expectations, she said, and donations are still coming in, so there is not an exact number yet for total funds raised. The museum had to close ticket sales, as it had reached its limit for space.

"The energy in the room, the generosity in the room from people in our community was just astonishing and heartwarming," she said. "It was a great environment all night long."

Other fundraising events include the Second Annual Oxford Golf Fundraiser, which was held on Thursday, and The Art of Giving's 12th anniversary charity art sale on Friday, Sept. 20, which will be giving a percentage of money earned to the museum for the third year in a row. Aside from fundraising, the museum will also be holding a "Full STEAM Ahead" public event from Oct. 1 to Oct. 8 at the Grand Forks Curling Club, where community members and kids can enjoy interactive learning activities.

"So much in such a short time," Mayer said. "It's exciting."