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[Note: This material is copyright by The Gazette, and is reproduced here as a matter of "fair use" for non-commercial, educational purposes only. Any other use may require the prior approval of The Gazette.]

  ‘‘There’s this groundswell of interest from people who just want to help. They want to do something,’’ said Dan Thies, Science Station board president.

  It is still unknown whether the community will be able to raise enough and whether it will be in time. Thies said he remains optimistic that will be the case even though no large checks have been written so far. ‘‘Closing the doors isn’t acceptable to me. There is a finality to it, and I don’t want to do that and the community doesn’t want to do that,’’ he said.

  On Oct. 18, Science Station officials said unless they can raise $1.3 million to erase debt, it will have to close its doors Nov. 15.

  Thies said he’s hopeful that enough money can be raised in the short term to keep the doors open beyond the Nov. 15 deadline, which would give Thies and other board members some time to ‘‘better assemble the bigger pieces of the puzzle.’’

  That includes short-term and long-term business plans for the 20-year-old hands-on science and technology center.

  The Junior League of Cedar Rapids has been helping coordinate two area fundraisers for the Science Station, ‘‘ Cents for Science’’ and ‘‘Stand Up for Science.’’

  As part of the ‘‘Cents for Science,’’ students, teachers and parents have been raising funds for the Science Station.

  As part of the ‘‘Stand Up For Science’’ fundraiser, businesses are encouraged to promote a citywide casual day Wednesday where businesses sell buttons to their employees for $5. The button allows the employee to wear jeans or other casual wear approved by the employer to work that day.

  As of Friday, more than 30 area businesses are participating in the ‘‘Stand Up For Science’’ fundraiser.

  Representatives from participating schools and businesses are encouraged to attend a press conference at 4 p.m. Wednesday at the Science Station, 427 First St. SE, to donate the money raised through these fundraisers and announce the total.