Legion Makes Improvements to Military Museum Building
By LYDIA BERGLAR
News Editor
Photo by Lydia Berglar – Gary Moore, commander of the legion, points out necessary repairs to the exterior of the legion’s museum building.
The American Legion Post 106 is in the midst of improving its military museum building. Replacing exterior windows and the front door is on their list of projects, but remodeling interior rooms in order to better organize the museum is also in the works. Legion Commander Gary Moore anticipates that the work will be in progress for a while longer as they pursue funding for the projects.
The Legion runs the museum using volunteers, which has made it difficult to remain open. After the remodel and restoration work is complete, the plan is to have regular hours once again. Moore explained, “I hope to reopen on the weekends. If anybody wants to tour during the week, they can call the commander (currently me), and we’ll set that up.”
Moore reported that the estimate to replace the windows is $8,000 and the new front door costs $6,000. Much of the interior work has moved forward due to donations of time and labor as well as a donation of drywall.
As a 501(c)3 non-profit, the Legion raises money through a variety of means to cover their monthly bills, but they are working to raise these additional funds that are substantially above their regular budget.
Moore reported that the museum houses items from the War of 1812 all the way to the Iraq and Afghanistan wars. At one point, a drum from the War of 1812 was loaned to the museum, and currently, a drum from the American Civil War is part of the collection. The items are donated or loaned by people in the community.
Additionally, the museum displays photos of any veterans from the local area who submit a photo. Moore notes that this is a way to celebrate veterans and increase awareness and appreciation of the men and women who have served our nation.
Photo by Lydia Berglar – The windows of the legion’s museum building (shown here) are in poor condition.
Moore believes that the museum is one way to educate young people about American history, saying, “In my opinion, schools today do not teach American history like they did when I was in school. A lot of the men I admired when I was growing up put their lives on the line so that we could be free. Maybe this museum will give kids a sense of what veterans went through and still go through.”
Moore expressed the Legion’s appreciation for gifts of all amounts and types, noting that many small gifts add up to meet a large goal.
If you are interested in donating materials, labor, or funds, call Gary Moore at 404-376-9596, send mail to the Legion at PO Box 305, Trenton, GA, 30752, or contact any member of the legion.