thedrifter
05-10-09, 07:40 AM
Museum curators raising money for building
By JAMES L. WHITE
Times Staff jamesw@harrisondaily.com
Published: Sunday, May 10, 2009 6:04 AM
Red Millis and his father, Dick Millis, are both retired U.S. Marines and proud of it.
They’re also proud of their jobs as curators of the Marine Corps Legacy Museum (MCLM), which has been housed on the north side of the Harrison square since it opened about eight years ago.
They routinely add exhibits and artifacts to the museum, but their limited space requires them to rotate them in and out of displays.
So, the Millises have begun a capital fund raising campaign to raise about $200,000 to buy and retrofit the old Sims Drug Store building across the square, which will be vacant soon.
The MCLM, a tax exempt 501(c)(3) educational not for profit corporation, currently rents the space it occupies. Red Millis said expenses vary from $750 to $1,200 a month.
However, the museum doesn’t normally generate that kind of monthly revenue, especially with the economic downturn and sagging visitation as a result. So, the Millises routinely subsidize the museum out of their own pockets.
“If the museum owned the building it’s in, visitation and the economy wouldn’t have such an impact,” Red Millis said.
He said the Sims building offers about 21,000 square feet of open bay floor space, two bathrooms, a full kitchen and other amenities well suited for a museum.
He said the building would cost $150,000, but he estimated it would take another $50,000 to retrofit the building for optimum operation. For instance, the building should remain about 75 degrees year-round and maintain a relative humidity of about 50 percent to cut down on mold on fabrics and rust or corrosion on metallic objects.
More space for the museum would also help in other ways.
For instance, Red Millis explains that the museum had several large tours last year. But because space is limited, groups had to be staged at the bandstand on the square to take turns touring the facility. More space would allow waiting room, although many of those individuals last year shopped at stores downtown while waiting.
One of the newest exhibits is Marines in the War on Terror. It shows equipment and gear issued to today’s Marines, some of which hasn’t even been “completely fielded” to Marines on the ground. He orders the gear from the manufacturers and were received as donations to the museum.
And they have other artifacts, some rare and more valuable, but they are stored.
“I just don’t have any place to display them,” Red said.
The MCLM does receive some private donations from individuals and businesses like Community First and First Federal banks and Wal-Mart, as well as The United Way.
Because the MCLM is a tax-exempt entity, all donations to the effort are tax deductible. People can also donate money in honor of a loved one and the museum will place that name on the memorial donation plate.
Millis said all money collected in the campaign will go toward the purchase and refurbishing of the building.
“Every dollar bill donated is one step closer to our goal,” he said. “So, there is no such thing as a donation that’s too small.”
• • •
EDITOR’S NOTE: For more information or to arrange a donation, contact the museum at (870) 743-1680 or e-mail at mclm@windstream.net.
Ellie
By JAMES L. WHITE
Times Staff jamesw@harrisondaily.com
Published: Sunday, May 10, 2009 6:04 AM
Red Millis and his father, Dick Millis, are both retired U.S. Marines and proud of it.
They’re also proud of their jobs as curators of the Marine Corps Legacy Museum (MCLM), which has been housed on the north side of the Harrison square since it opened about eight years ago.
They routinely add exhibits and artifacts to the museum, but their limited space requires them to rotate them in and out of displays.
So, the Millises have begun a capital fund raising campaign to raise about $200,000 to buy and retrofit the old Sims Drug Store building across the square, which will be vacant soon.
The MCLM, a tax exempt 501(c)(3) educational not for profit corporation, currently rents the space it occupies. Red Millis said expenses vary from $750 to $1,200 a month.
However, the museum doesn’t normally generate that kind of monthly revenue, especially with the economic downturn and sagging visitation as a result. So, the Millises routinely subsidize the museum out of their own pockets.
“If the museum owned the building it’s in, visitation and the economy wouldn’t have such an impact,” Red Millis said.
He said the Sims building offers about 21,000 square feet of open bay floor space, two bathrooms, a full kitchen and other amenities well suited for a museum.
He said the building would cost $150,000, but he estimated it would take another $50,000 to retrofit the building for optimum operation. For instance, the building should remain about 75 degrees year-round and maintain a relative humidity of about 50 percent to cut down on mold on fabrics and rust or corrosion on metallic objects.
More space for the museum would also help in other ways.
For instance, Red Millis explains that the museum had several large tours last year. But because space is limited, groups had to be staged at the bandstand on the square to take turns touring the facility. More space would allow waiting room, although many of those individuals last year shopped at stores downtown while waiting.
One of the newest exhibits is Marines in the War on Terror. It shows equipment and gear issued to today’s Marines, some of which hasn’t even been “completely fielded” to Marines on the ground. He orders the gear from the manufacturers and were received as donations to the museum.
And they have other artifacts, some rare and more valuable, but they are stored.
“I just don’t have any place to display them,” Red said.
The MCLM does receive some private donations from individuals and businesses like Community First and First Federal banks and Wal-Mart, as well as The United Way.
Because the MCLM is a tax-exempt entity, all donations to the effort are tax deductible. People can also donate money in honor of a loved one and the museum will place that name on the memorial donation plate.
Millis said all money collected in the campaign will go toward the purchase and refurbishing of the building.
“Every dollar bill donated is one step closer to our goal,” he said. “So, there is no such thing as a donation that’s too small.”
• • •
EDITOR’S NOTE: For more information or to arrange a donation, contact the museum at (870) 743-1680 or e-mail at mclm@windstream.net.
Ellie