11/25/2025
Dear Museum Friends,
As we enter the holiday season, all of us at the Military Heritage Museum find ourselves reflecting on the many reasons we are grateful. At the very top of that list is you. Whether you come to a theater show, send your child to our summer camp, visit us with your grandchildren during the holidays, or simply stop in to say hello, you are part of our story.
We are blessed with extraordinary volunteers. I see them as the heartbeat of this museum, and many of them served our country with courage and now continue that service inside these walls. They greet visitors, guide students, and share their stories with humility and pride. Their impact is beyond measure. I am equally grateful for our dedicated staff and our fantastic Board of Directors who work tirelessly to move this museum forward every single day. Their commitment gives life to our mission and ensures that every person who walks through our doors leaves with something meaningful.
This year has reminded us that our mission is more than preserving history. It is about shaping the future. Since school started in August, more than twelve hundred fifth graders from Charlotte County Public Schools have visited the museum. The collaboration with our schools has been one of the great joys of this year. The post visit test scores tell an encouraging story. The students understand more. They ask smarter questions. They connect the dots. They walk out with a deeper understanding of what it means to serve and sacrifice.
One moment stood out this fall and captured everything we believe in. One of our Navy veteran volunteers was kneeling beside a display case, surrounded by a group of wide-eyed fifth graders on a field trip. He held a faded photograph of young soldiers, men barely older than teenagers, and the room grew silent as he spoke. He told the students that the men in the photo were his unit. He explained that they were scared, but brave, and that they believed in something bigger than themselves. One student raised his hand and asked the volunteer if he was a hero. The volunteer smiled and said that he was not, but that he had served alongside heroes. He said that this is why he volunteers at the museum, to make sure that students and visitors remember those men. As the class began to leave, the student who had asked if he was a hero turned back and saluted him. The volunteer returned the salute with tears in his eyes. We call moments like that museum moments. They are the reason we exist.
In the coming days we will be releasing our annual appeal, and it will share more about this powerful encounter. Stories like this are why we do what we do. Stories like this are why we continue to grow. Stories like this are why your support matters.
We are proud that the Military Heritage Museum has been named Best of Florida for two years in a row. We are no longer viewed as the small museum tucked into the corner of Fishermen’s Village. We have become a statewide destination for visitors throughout Florida. With that growth comes responsibility. We are called to do more than preserve artifacts. We are charged with sharing veteran stories through the Veterans History Project. We are committed to bringing in as many students as possible. We are expanding our public lectures from veterans. And we are preparing for Veteran Service Days beginning in 2026 so that any veteran in need can walk into our building and find multiple resources available in one place. This is our mission. This is our duty. This is our promise.
Next Tuesday, December 2, is Giving Tuesday. If you have ever felt that museum moment, if you have ever been moved by a story shared in our galleries or by a veteran who gave you a glimpse into their world, we hope you will consider supporting us. Your gift helps us honor our veterans, preserve their stories, and educate the next generation. You can give at: https://militaryheritagemuseum.org/support-the-museum/
From all of us at the Military Heritage Museum, we wish you a season filled with peace, warmth, joy, and meaning. Thank you for standing with us. Thank you for believing in our mission. Thank you for helping us carry these stories forward.
With heartfelt gratitude,
Isaac James
Executive Director
Military Heritage Museum
