“The greater danger for most of us is not that our aim is too high
and we miss it, but that it is too low and we reach it.”
—Michelangelo Buonarroti, Italian Renaissance painter and sculptorWhen I read this, I couldn’t help but think of all the times that we could have been satisfied with just the everyday business of offering our community an outstanding museum for people to visit and maybe learn a little history. Instead, over the last 20 years, hundreds of people have helped us achieve goals that we would have thought impossible when we were just a fledgling history museum that opened on Veterans Day 2000. At that time, we were only open on weekends with just a few volunteers.Why have so many people worked tirelessly to make this museum “more than just a museum”? It’s because we believe in our country and appreciate the men and women who have sacrificed so much to not only give us our freedoms but to also make this country the number one superpower in our world today. How can we not work hard to honor their sacrifice and try to give them a place they can be proud of?Every day we have veterans visit the museum, and they are surprised at what we have accomplished. We are then able to tell them about the veterans’ programs that we have to offer them. Our PTSD clinics for combat veterans, the General Chennault Chapter 51 of the Disabled American Veterans Association, and our Library of Congress veteran’s oral history program, to name a few, show them that their service is truly appreciated.
We are now in the process of building the Chennault Aviation Park. Again, we did not settle for just trying to give our restored aircraft a covering but a park with paved sidewalks, concrete pads for the aircraft and a covering to help protect them from the elements.
We are thankful for all the people who have always aimed high, and because of them, we have accomplished great things. It is up to us to continue to aim high, but we need your help. We appreciate all of our members and corporate members, but we need to grow our numbers so we can continue to grow. If you are a member, please ask your family and friends to consider a membership. Our memberships start at $25.00 and up. If you are not a member, please consider joining us. As a member, you, too, will be rewarded knowing that you are honoring our heroes and giving them not only a place to be proud of but helps meet their needs.
The Chennault Gala
We are pleased to announce The Chennault Gala, presented by Discover Monroe-West Monroe, Louisiana Seafood, and Chennault Aviation & Military Museum.
Join us on October 17 from 7 to 9 PM for a special performance by the Fabulous Equinox Orchestra at the Chennault Aviation & Military Museum hangar located at 701 Kansas Lane in Monroe, Louisiana.
Get your tickets today at chennault.eventbrite.com. General admission tickets are $30, VIP are $50, and reserved tables are $200. Tickets are VERY limited, so secure yours today!
All across America, audiences have fallen in love with these two sophisticated Southern gentleman and the high-energy show that is Davis & Johnson Present the Fabulous Equinox Orchestra. Along with the greatest songs, the best original arrangements and phenomenal musicianship, these two bring their rich friendship and charm to the stage. Fashioned in the style and swagger of the legendary entertainers lead by Frank Sinatra, Davis & Johnson are putting their own stamp on the Great American songbook, graced with a touch of Motown, Ray Charles, Johnny Cash, Elvis and more, offering a freshness and relevance that speaks to every soul.
The Delta Roux & Que food truck will be on site serving delicious food.
The event will be broadcasted on Facebook on October 22nd.
Thanks to our sponsors!
Discover Monroe-West Monroe, Louisiana Seafood, Stephanie & Nelson Abell, Kitty DeGree Foundation, Positive Behavior Outcomes, Military Officers Association of America, James Machine Works, Skent N Dent, Spartan Adventure Park, Vantage Health Plan, Altruistic Foundation, Uniti Fiber, Shaw Oxygen Co, Origin Bank, Wes & Shirley Wesselhoeft, Mike & Nancy Chennault, The Kirksey Agency, City of Monroe, The Platter, Lamar Advertising, Stephens Media, KNOE, Ameripride
Aviation Park updates
Ground is broken and the new Chennault Aviation Park is under construction! Everything is moving right on track for the park to see completition by the end of the year.
This week, we were all giddy to see concrete poured for one of the pavillions!
Do you want to be a part of the park’s legacy? Visit our website for information on ways to support the project! Click here for info.
Did you know that we rely on donations, memberships, sponsors, and grants to keep our doors open to the public for free? We will never charge admission so that every man, woman, and child, regardless of financial status, has a place to honor aviation and military history.
2020 has been a rocky year for many in our community, and we are not exempt. Now more than ever, we need your help to keep us flying. There are three ways you can help:
– Make a donation
– Purchase a membership
– Consider a corporate membership for your business
Your donation or membership supports veterans with our PTSD, DAV, and oral history programs. It enables children to learn through field trips, scavenger hunts, and National History Day. It ensures that we can preserve 11,000 artifacts that keep the memory of our veterans alive.
Thank you for your continued support.
Coffee with the Curator
Join us live on Facebook every Thursday at 1 PM for Coffee with the Curator! Get a personal glimpse into the treasures of the Museum with curator Roy Bullock. So far, we have covered topics such as the Civil War, Selman Fields, and the Tuskegee Airmen. Each week is different, so be sure to like our Facebook page to be notified when new videos go live.
New ways to support us.
Did you know that Amazon.com has a program called Amazon Smile which donates a percentage of your Amazon purchases to nonprofit? To help us while you shop, bookmark and visit this link when shopping on Amazon.
Shop online!
Our Shark Mouth line is available on our online gift shop!
Don’t want to leave the house? Shop online for all your Chennault Aviation & Military Museum goodies.
They make perfect gifts!
Click here to buy this shirt now.
