Museum of Veterans and Military History

Museum of Veterans and Military History

Proudly honoring our military Veterans through education, outreach and community service

Museum of Veterans

and Military History

P.O. Box 668

Vilonia, Arkansas 72173

Museum of Veterans and Military History 45-4292873

Part IV, Page 1

Narrative, Mission Statement and Charter

This Museum of Veterans and Military History, located in Vilonia, Arkansas, is not only about veterans and their past service but it incorporates veterans, as much as possible, into the daily operational process of the museum. As a vital component supporting its mission, the Museum of Veterans and Military History has acquired collections, set up exhibitions and is performing research using volunteers with abilities in the research field.

Veterans are actively serving in the museum as docents and tour guides. Also, they are helping with research and creating displays as well as serving on the board of directors. This museum is about much more than what is displayed inside. It’s about living history. The museum serves as a place where veterans are invited and encouraged to share living history.

As a fully functioning museum, spaces for collections and storage areas are being maintained. As well, military related items are being displayed in a proper and respectful manner and managed by a museum staff serving in a voluntary status. Volunteers are from many walks of life and vary in age. Many of the volunteers are active and retired military including those who served in World War II, Korea, Vietnam, Afghanistan, Desert Storm and Iraq. As well, there is an active group of teachers and high school students involved. Working side by side, the diverse group has provided many hours of sweat equity.

In conjunction with the Vilonia School District, high school students are involved in a project to assist with the recording and preservation of veterans’ individual history pieces to be housed at the museum and available for review by both current and future generations. The students have also created artwork for the walls.

Teachers are using the facility as a classroom with veterans on hand to serve in a speaking capacity. They are participating in other activities such as in-service learning. The museum staff has been reaching out to create opportunities for lifelong learning regarding veterans and history.

The museum is serving as a location for tours including individual, group and field trips serving all ages including day care children and nursing home residents.

The staff’s goal is to inspire a sense of appreciation for veterans and service to one’s country.

The Museum of Veterans and Military History is reaching out to veterans of all ages providing a place where they may come together for programs geared toward them yet, not limited to them.

Veterans support services such as a veterans’ service officer will be invited to visit as well as VA representatives and authors will be invited to speak. We hope to foster connections and open dialog focused on veterans while showing our respect.

We hope for multiple voices in the museum and will achieve this by promoting veterans, student and community collaboration as well as cooperative partnerships. We have created a venue, with the museum, that is accessible and responsive to all.

We are a 501c3 organization - your donations are tax deductible

Awarded the 2014 and 2015 Vilonia Area Chamber of Commerce Non-Profit of the Year

- About Us

Museum Board

of Directors 2024

Officers:

Danny Moody, President

Tommy Pate, Vice President

Bernie Tackett, Secretary

& Treasurer

Board Members:

Steve Hillman

Paul Hicks

Slim Chambliss

Pat Stiltner

Carlos Cerna

Jerry Epps

Museum Director, Linda Hicks

Asst. Director, Pat Stiltner

Tracey Schichti Montoto,

Independent Auditor

We are open and free to tour

Opened in 2012, a tornado destroyed the original home of the museum in 2014. Downed for one year, the museum re-opened in April 2015 on land donated by Vilonia resident Charlie Weaver at 53 N. Mt. Olive. Funds are still needed, however, for expansion projects. The museum has an account at Centennial Bank.

For more information,

call Linda Hicks at

501-796-8181