April 2021 Newsletter

<!doctype html>




 

A Message From Our CEO.

Peter Marshall -actor and WWII veteran

“May we think of freedom not as the right to do as we please, but as the opportunity to do what is right.” 

Hopefully, we are beginning to see some light from a very long, difficult year. I think we all agree that we have learned many lessons from our experiences, but one of the most important is that we should never take our freedom for granted. 

We have all made sacrifices and learned new terms such as social distancing, mandatory face masks, super spreader events, etc. More than any time in recent history, we have all had the choice to either do what is right or do what we want. 

Since the time our country was founded, the men and women who have served in our armed forces have given up their rights to do as they please. They practice a set of standards that many of us would find very difficult to live by; ask anyone who has ever been to boot camp. They serve because they realize that our freedoms are worth fighting for and it is the right thing to do. I hope that we will all take the time to appreciate the sacrifice of these heroes. 

I want to thank all who have shown their support and allowed us to stay open. It is because of your generosity that we are beginning to welcome more visitors and members into the museum; so they too can be inspired by the stories of the men and women who took the opportunity to do what was right. 

This Month in History

 

On April 9th 1865 Confederate General Robert E. Lee surrendered, starting the long process of the end of the Civil War. After this surrender it took 16 months before a formal declaration would be made to end the war by President Andrew Johnson.

The surrender by Lee only covered his Army of Northern Virginia. All of the other Confederate forces were still active. General Joseph E. Johnston had the second largest army after Lee, however, his army surrendered soon after on April 26th. Slowly more and more confederate generals began to surrender until the last battle at Palmito Ranch on May 13th. 

The museum is lucky to have some artifacts from this wartime period. One of the most interesting would be the quilt made from the uniform of John C. Logan. It was customary during and after the war that people take old military uniforms to make quilts because of the shortage of quilt fabric. They now serve as a memory of the men who wore the uniform, and the times that are now a part of history.

 

Welcome Home Vietnam Veterans 

March 29th was Welcome Home Vietnam Veterans Day. Chennault Aviation Museum partnered with Heart of Hospice to host a virtual event to honor and thank Vietnam Veterans. The event had speakers and viewers from all over the state.

We honored and pinned 24 veterans here at the museum during the event.

Monroe Mayor, Friday Ellis, attended and introduced local veteran, Art Edwards, to read a poem. KNOE was also in attendance and interviewed veterans.

Virtual Trivia Night

Our first virtual trivia night is set for April 9th at 7pm on Facebook. The event will be hosted by local award winner and fitness guru Cesar Camacho, and will consist of five rounds of American military history. The entry fee is five dollars. First place will be awarded $150, second place $75, and third place will receive $25. 

All proceeds from the event will go to the museum to be used for different projects for veterans. To register for this event visit our facebook at Chennault Aviation and Military Museum and go to events. 

The event will be sponsored by Primer Hospice, who specializes in care during the final stages of life so that it can be lived with the greatest degree of comfort and dignity. 

Run for the Red, White, and Blue

Run for the Red, White, and Bule is held annually to support the work of the Museum. Free tours will take place during and after the 5K/1K events. You can also see the planes at the Museum’s new Aviation Park & Pavilion. Sign up to honor our active service members and veterans, and to remember those who paid the ultimate sacrifice for our freedom.

A group of ten or more race participants (families/friends/organization/businesses) can join together to run/walk as a team.  For some friendly competition, team prizes will be awarded.  Make your own team shirts or wear your best red, white, and blue. 

The 5K/1K ends with participants running through the Flags of Freedom.  This year individuals, families, businesses, and/or organizations can sponsor one of the fifty flags for only $100.  A sign with your information and message will be placed at the base of the flag.  

All race proceeds from the event benefit CAMM and its veterans’ outreach programs.

To register, go to www.runsignup.com/Chennault or stop by the Museum.  Additional information can be found at www.chennaultmuseum.org, on Facebook, or by contacting runfortheredwhiteblue@gmail.com.

Aviation Park updates

Chennault Park is still under construction. Most recently, work on the perimeter fencing continued while the canvas was errected!

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.

Consider donating to us on Give For Good Day May 4th

LEH Grant Update

Last year we had damage occur to the museum and its property due to the hurricanes. We applied and now have received an LEH grant. The money from this grant will go toward some of the repairs of the damage inflicted by the hurricanes.

Funding for this 2020 Hurricane Mitigation grant has been provided by the National Endowment for the Humanities (NEH) and administered by the Louisiana Endowment for the Humanities (LEH).

DAV Van Updates

We have succeeded!! Thanks to the support of so many we have now received the full $15,500 to apply for the grant! Thank you to all who have donated to this fundraising effort. A special thank you to the Louisiana Hunters for Heroes for donating the last $7,000 needed to complete our goal!

The General Claire Chennault Flying Tiger Chapter 51 of the Disabled American Veterans have a wonderful opportunity to replace their 1997 van with a brand new Ford Transit Connect 7-passenger van!

This van is used to transport veterans to the VA home in Jackson as needed for appointments. The restrictions imposed by COVID-19 may soon be relaxed, which dictates the necessity of reliable transportation for our veterans so that they can receive the healthcare they need and deserve.

Chennault Aviation & Military Museum is applying for a matching-funds grant which will put the Museum’s cost at only $15,500 for the van. It’s an incredible opportunity that we didn’t want to miss! The current van has high mileage and breaks down, often requiring towing and frequently resulting in stranding veterans when in route to hospital services.

Thank you to all of those who supported our mission! 

Coffee with the Curator

 
Click the image above to view a recent Coffee with the Curator about Selman Field.

Join us 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 Field, and the Tuskegee Airmen. Each week is different, so be sure to like our Facebook page to be notified when new videos go live.

Shop online!

Our Shark Mouth line is available on our online gift shop! Check out our new hats!

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 hat now.

Now More Than Ever, Your Membership Matters.

Purchasing a membership is one way you can contribute to our Museum.  As you know, we are not funded by the government – we are fully dependant on individual funding such as your membership.

It’s time for many of our members to renew their membership. If that is you, please do so by visiting our website or visiting the Museum. For any questions, please contact Suzy at (318) 362-5540.

Thank you for your continued patronage!