| The Stars and Stripes Celebration Dinner:
On October 8th, 2023 the Central Coast Veterans Memorial Museum (CCVMM) hosted our inauguralStars and Stripes Celebration Dinner, a USO theme dinner and show fundraiser, attracting over 160 supporters from northern Santa Barbara County and San Luis Obispo County. It was an incredible night for the museum, for the history community, and ultimately for our veteran community. This was also a night to celebrate our 21 years honoring and remembering veterans.
The Central Coast Veterans Museum was recognized at the dinner by the US Library of Congress (LOC) as a top contributor to the LOC Veterans History Project. The Museum, located at 801 Grand Avenue, in San Luis Obispo, was honored as the designated site on the Central Coast of California for veterans to record their oral histories as part of this nationwide project documenting the oral histories of America’s veterans, preserving the first person accounts of the men and women who have served our country, and civilians who worked in support roles to our armed forces during times of conflict.
Greg Haas, from Congressman Carbajal’s Office presented a Certificate of Appreciation from the U.S. Library of Congress to recognize the Central Coast Veterans Museum’s extensive work (fully volunteer supported) to record over 500+ oral histories from local and visiting veterans. Greg also honored Santa Maria resident, Joanne Cargill, who individually began recording veteran oral histories before joining the museum’s program in 2002.
The LOC issued certificates recognizing Bart Topham (current Director) and Tim Haley (Founding Director) to honor their leadership of the program, as well as, museum volunteers who have significantly supported the program including Sandra McGregor (SLO), Marilyn McCarty (SLO), Pete Bayer (Paso).
This recognition from the US Library of Congress for the Museum’s work recording veteran stories and contributing to the records of our American History in the LOC National Archives is a big achievement for our entire region, something for all Central Coast residents to be proud of!
The Stars and Stripes Celebration Dinner was a festive, patriotic event with raffle and silent auction, photo booth, and live performances by the Royal Garden Swing Orchestra, Cal Poly Ballroom Dance Team, and singing by local vocalists Donna Jones and Terri Kahn. Included were “Did You Know, SLO USO” history facts presented by local historian Erik Brun.
Vandenburg Space Force Base Honor Guard presented colors and guest speakers included the Museum’s founding Director, Tim Haley, USMC, Purple heart recipient, along with Commander of the Central Coast Military Order of World Wars (MOWW), James (Jim) Murphy, USMC, Major (ret).
This event was made possible through the support of our presenting sponsors: Ramsey Asphalt and Construction, Thoma Electric, and Karen Scott Audiology, along with Coastal Communities Physician Network (CCPN), Sunset Honda San Luis Obispo, SLO Camp N’ Pack, and our program sponsor Denise Silva Topham Realtor with Better Homes and Gardens/ Haven Properties.
Amongst the many sponsors and hospitality partners supporting this inaugural fundraiser event, included were three veteran-owned local businesses Gold Land BBQ Catering, Coastal Peaks Coffee, and the Photo Booth Parlor Co.
If you would like to make a contribution or gift of any amount to our 21-Year Campaign, we welcome your end of the year donation. Also, our 2024 Membership Drive is now active for those who need to renew their $40/year membership. If you would like to become a member of the museum, or gift a $40/year membership to a loved one as a Birthday or Christmas Gift, please reach out and we’ll send you the information or you can sign-up on our website: https://vetmuseum.org/getting-involved/
A MESSAGE FROM OUR MUSEUM DIRECTOR
What a success for the Central Coast Veterans Memorial Museum (CCVMM)!
Thank you to everyone who supported and attended this event. Big congrats to the Museum’s entire volunteer planning committee, under the direction of our event leads Sarah Twisselman and Karen Bayer, for their success putting together the Museum’s very first dinner fundraiser so beautifully and thoughtfully. Our volunteers are the heart of this museum and we cannot thank them enough for their dedication to our mission.
As a 501c3 nonprofit history museum, we rely on the support of our sponsors, donors, grant and community to continue our efforts preserving history and recording oral histories in partnership with the US Library of Congress. This fundraiser not only celebrated our 21-years of honoring and remembering veterans, but we were fundraising to ensure we can continue our important work while developing new museum initiatives. As a volunteer supported organization, we are always looking for good people like you to join our volunteer team. I encourage you to reach out if you are interested in learning more about our current volunteer needs.
We hope to make our Stars and Stripes celebration an annual event, working towards raising funds to support new programs including a mobile museum to present our historical artifacts and veteran stories outside of the museum with schools, seniors, local events. We look forward to another 21 years!
Thank you again for your support.
Sincerely,
Bart Topham
Director/President
Central Coast Veterans Memorial Museum
www.vetmuseum.org |
