West Haven Veterans Museum finds 'people came through', 1 donation at a time

Sep. 29--WEST HAVEN -- The treasurer of the struggling West Haven Veterans Museum and Learning Center -- an institution hit hard by the coronavirus pandemic -- said Westies "came through" for the veterans as always, with donations of $10,000 and counting toward saving the museum.

"Quite frankly, at one point, we didn't think we'd reach $10,000" of the $16,000 goal, Treasurer Bob Ellis said. "West Haven has always been a town to stand up and be counted. ... They've always come through for the veterans."

The fundraising is ongoing.

Ellis said while one donor generously gave $2,000 and another $1,000, the smaller donations really added up.

"The little people came through and we're still counting," Ellis said. He said the $10,000 includes money raised through a GoFundMe campaign that's still active and checks mailed to the museum at 30 Hood Terrace in the city.

Earlier this month, Ellis and museum Acting President Bill Benson, both veterans, said the 9,000-square-foot museum filled with military memorabilia was in dire straits because most of its donations come from group tours, no longer allowed because of pandemic-mandated limits on groups and gatherings.

Admission to the museum is free, but donations are encouraged. Dozens of groups of elementary, high school and college students, as well as veterans' groups from around the state, typically visit each year, usually donating $100 to $800 for group tours, the men said.

The museum, established in 2010, contains displays of Connecticut-centered memorabilia from before the Revolutionary War through modern day as a tribute to those who served.

Ellis said if the museum were to be forced to close, its contents would be donated to another museum or museums, and those who had donated items likely would be allowed to reclaim them.

Selling any of the items "isn't even on the table," Ellis said.

The museum closed in mid-March because of the coronavirus pandemic, and while it reopened in August, the large group tours no longer were allowed and won't be for the foreseeable future, Benson said.

The museum is all-volunteer and operates on about $16,000 in donations annually, Ellis said. There is no rent, mortgage or electricity payments, as those items are free through a family that helped found the museum. No funds come from the city, state or federal governments.

There are overhead expenses, including cable and telecommunications costs of about $3,000 per year, costs associated with extra cleaning required by pandemic guidelines, purchases of display cases and a debt related to parts of a media center predominantly funded by the West Haven Rotary Foundation and named after businessman and activist Edward N. Silver.

Ellis said the holder of the loan the museum took to finish the media center is being flexible with payments, telling them to take all the time they need, but Ellis wants to "clear it up," and keep the obligation.

The museum is loaded with extensive memorabilia, uniforms, military equipment and even a cannon from France, all displayed with the flair of a New York City department store window at Christmas.

Use of the building and electricity is covered through Arlene Painter, museum manager, whose late parents, Martin and Eleanor DeGrand, helped found the museum.

"It holds a very special place in my heart because I feel like I'm carrying on my parents' legacy," Painter said in September. "I truly admire all who served."

State Rep. Dorinda Borer, D-West Haven, chairwoman of the state Veterans Legislative Committee, has said the museumis "not only to jewel of West Haven, but of the state of Connecticut."

Borer said she encourages people to stop by the museum and leave a donation if they can.

The museum currently is open for walk-in visitors Fridays and Saturdays from 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. Because of pandemic guidelines, groups are limited to five or 10 people at a time and masks are required.

Ellis and Benson said the museum plays a key role in teaching military history -- which they say is missing in schools these days -- and in comforting veterans, as well as assuring the legacy of those who served, some making the ultimate sacrifice.

"We are the stewards of all these artifacts," mostly donated by veterans, Ellis has said. Mostly though, he said it's about remembrance and keeping the history alive because society has changed, volunteerism has changed, and if they don't preserve the memories now, "who else will?"

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