After seven years of applying for this grant, on Sunday, November 5, 2023, the Heritage Museum of NW Florida was one of four non-profits to receive the Impact 100 grant of $100,000. For seven years the museum applied for a room addition to the overcrowded museum that houses historical artifacts from the entire Northwest Florida region. This seventh year was the charm!
The museum has collected and will continue to collect contributions to help fund the remaining costs of $75,000 for the construction of the building. Businesses and individuals who would like to be part of this life-long dream can phone the museum and make a contribution between $200 to $5,000. The phone number for the museum is 850-678-2615. Contributions are tax deductible because the museum is a 501C3 non-profit. All contributors will be recognized in a permanent placard or art work. Once ground breaks for the project, it should take less than 12 months to complete.
The museum has a warehouse full of artifacts dating back to early Native Indian tribes. The museum plans to organize the Vietnam Refugee Camp Exhibit as the first exhibit in the Impact 100 Exhibit Hall. This area was one of four in the nation to house refugees after the end of the Vietnam War in the mid-1970’s.
Museum trustee, Dr. Barbara Palmgren, has been involved over seven years with the application process for this grant. In particular, she credits this year’s trustee Susan Page and volunteer Jean Schlitt for their work with writing and collecting data for the 2023 application. She also thanks all the trustees and museum management who continue to work tirelessly on behalf of presenting local history to the public.
They say “all good things come to those who wait.” The Heritage Museum of Northwest Florida has certainly waited patiently, spending hours each year writing a grant to expand the museum and share its treasures. This effort will now benefit the community of Northwest Florida as well as the museum itself.
