The Friends of the History Museum of East Otter Tail County will hold a Telethon on Sunday, May 20 from 5-9 p.m. to help raise money to complete the ITOW Veterans Museum.
The museum, which opened last August, features state-of-the-art exhibits that tell the sometimes sad, sometimes funny, but always compelling stories of area veterans. Although the exterior wouldn't be completed in time, Project Manager, Lina Belar and the Board of Directors decided to open the museum as soon as the exhibits were up and running so that people could see and hear these remarkable stories for themselves. The Museum, which was over 4 years in the planning began when members of the Perham VFW came to the History Museum with a request. "We don't want our stories to be forgotten," said Sherman Mandt. Now deceased, Sherman was one of the prime movers of the project. The History Museum began by collecting oral histories of area veterans. There are now over 160 and the process continues. The oral histories form the basis for this extraordinary museum which has received national recognition including a write-up in AAA Magazine, Home and Away.
The goal of Sunday evening's Telethon, which will be broadcast by Arvig Communication Systems LocalLINC (Channel 14) is to help raise funds to finish the exterior of the building. One of the highlights of the 4-hour program will be a chance to view the documentary, In Their Own Words, which was created especially for the Museum's wide-screen theater gallery. This will be the first time the documentary has been broadcast anywhere and the only opportunity to see it outside of the Museum. Another highlight will be a chance to take a virtual tour of the facility with LocalLINC. Dave Howey has graciously agreed to emcee the event. Don't miss this chance to see what the ITOW Veterans Museum is all about.
The Telethon will be broadcast on local cable channels over a wide listening area that extends from Battle Lake to Bertha Hewitt to Walker and Twin Valley.
