Et cetera : NCCC’s Cedar 3 Assists with Veteran Museum

By: Dave Condlin

A ten member team from AmeriCorps NCCC (National Civilian Community Corps), Cedar 3, is getting ready to wrap up their project on June 30 with The Friends of the History Museum of East Otter Tail County where they have been renovating the ITOW veteran museum in downtown Perham. They have been in Perham since June 8.

Cedar Three has restored 2,000 square feet of the ITOW museum, tiling floors, painting, repairing ceilings and performing some landscaping. The team’s completed work will result in a meeting room where war veterans can socialize and host events. This will also allow local Perham residents to preserve their rich history and encourage the community to get involved in learning about the veterans that fought to make their country a better place.

The Friends of the History Museum of East Otter Tail County, Inc. is a non- profit organization established in 1988. The mission of the organization is to preserve the history of the area and make it available to the public in ways that are interesting and entertaining. The ITOW museum, standing for in their own words, is a 6000 sq. ft. audio and visual exhibit featuringmore than 250 full length interviews from veterans who share their past with visitors and explain their reasons for enlisting, war stories, and what they got out of serving their country. Since one out of six soldiers returning from the Iraq war suffer from Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder, it is vital that veterans have an outlet that can be of therapeutic value.  ITOW allows these veterans to have a positive outlet and express themselves freely.

Cedar Three team leader Drew Simmons says this project has been a great experience for him because he has been able to meet a lot of different people while working at the museum, “I am really enjoying this project because we have the opportunity to meet and talk with veterans and learn their stories. This renovation project is our way of giving back to them and saying thanks for all they have done for this country.”

With the help of AmeriCorps NCCC, veterans will have a designated room where they can enjoy each other’s presence, share war stories with one another, and host public or private events such as meetings or social gatherings. This project marks the first time an AmeriCorps NCCC team serves the city of Perham. Volunteering for this organization gives NCCC members the opportunity to meet local veterans, learn their past, as well as hear possible advice for the future.