The Coos History Museum will present a Veterans Gathering on Friday – May 18, 2018, from 10:00 am to 1:00 pm. The Veterans Gathering event will include guest speakers, a Vietnam War 50th Anniversary Commemorative Presentation, and light refreshments. This is a free event, open to the public. Military veterans are encouraged to attend. The Veterans Gathering will begin with the presentation of colors and the Pledge of Allegiance by the Myrtle Point VFW Post #2928 Veterans Color Guard. Chaplain Pastor Mike Barnard will perform the Invocation and the Benediction. Captain Michael Mullen, Sector Commander, U.S. Coast Guard Sector North Bend, will present commemorative lapel pins to Vietnam War Veterans in attendance. Thomas Hines, H BMC, will speak about community service projects performed by ANTS. Laura Springer, M LCDR, will discuss women in the United States Coast Guard and how her training in natural disaster management benefits communities. Veteran Elizabeth Estabrooks, who co-created the Oregon Department of Veterans’ Affairs exhibit “I Am Not Invisible,” will be speaking on the project. The Veterans Gathering event is open to the public and sponsored by the Bay Area Hospital Foundation, partnering with the USCG and the USCG Aids to Navigation Team Coos Bay. The Coos History Museum will waive admission to military veterans and their spouse/partner through December 31, 2018. The free admission program was created through generous financial support from the Coquille Tribal Community Fund and the Mr. and Mrs. Michael L. Keiser Foundation. During 2018, the Coos History Museum special exhibit focus is dedicated to honoring veterans. There will be 4 special exhibits this year, beginning with the Smithsonian’s Patriot Nations: Native Americans in Our Nation’s Armed Forces, Oregon Department of Veterans’ Affairs exhibit entitled I Am Not Invisible, United States Coast Guard Art, and the Coos History Museum’s Vet Ink: Military Inspired Tattoos. For exhibit run dates, please visit the Coos History Museum website at www.cooshistory.org.
