More than 90 people attended the wine tasting fund-raiser at the Eagle River VFW post Saturday night to support the creation of an Alaska Veteran's Memorial Museum.
Each guest paid $50 to attend, and participated in a silent auction. To date, the project has raised $7,000.
The idea for the museum, slated to be located in Eagle River, was born two years ago.
"I suggested the idea to Pete Kott and he helped to get it going," said museum project secretary Forrest Brooks. "We're interested in a museum that would tell the stories of the ordinary people. This will be a 'grunts' museum."
Brooks wants to model the Alaska museum after the Motts Military Museum in Ohio. That museum, founded in 1989, also was a grass roots effort.
"I had 19 volunteers that helped build the place," said Museum founder Warren Motts in a phone interview. "Most were retired veterans."
Motts said the museum started out as a non-profit educational facility.
"Our building was donated by a prominent attorney here in Columbus," he said. "You have to get the community involved. Let them know how important this can be to the community."
Museum proponent and Speaker of the House Pete Kott spoke at the VFW event.
"I think it's important in each and every one of our hearts that this vision becomes a reality," Kott said. "I remember eight years ago I was one of two veterans in the Alaska Legislature. Now I'm joined by one more."
There was a festive mood at the wine tasting as guests mingled, enjoying catered food from Haute Quarter Grill, and fine wines from Brown Jug. An impressive array of area businesses made donations to the museum project.
"I think it's a wonderful endeavor," said museum supporter Susan Morgan. "I think this brings a greater appreciation for the sacrifice of our veterans."
Door prizes were a highlight of the evening. Anchorage assembly member Anna Fairclough passed them out regularly, announced each time by the ring of a bell. Fairclough was instrumental in organizing the event.
"She put all this together," said museum board member Al Romashevski. "This fund raiser was her project, so we're very grateful to her."
"I think we're on the money as far as reaching our goal of $10,000," said museum board president Roger Wortman.
The $10,000 will be used to buy audio-visual and other equipment necessary to document Alaska's veterans, according to board president Lloyd Dunham.
"This money is a big step forward in recording our veterans' experiences," Dunham said. "We probably couldn't have done it without Anna."
