DAR Awards $1.5K to Friends of the Gilb Museum of Arcadia Heritage

The Arcadia Veteran Local History Room. – Courtesy photo / Facebook, @arcadiamuseum

The National Society Daughters of the American Revolution (DAR) recently awarded a $1,500 Patriotism Grant to Friends of the Gilb Museum of Arcadia Heritage for its “Arcadia Veterans Local History Room Touch Screen Kiosk” project. Funding for this project was made possible through the sponsorship of Santa Anita Chapter, National Society Daughters of the American Revolution.

The Arcadia Veterans Local History Room interactive touch screen kiosk will better present the veterans registry and the blue star registry. The project will encourage museum visitors of all ages to spend more time in the Veterans Local History Room and will likely lead to more Arcadia veteran stories and photos being submitted.

Joyce Platt, president of the Friends of the Arcadia Museum, said, “We are excited about receiving this donation from DAR. We feel fortunate and greatly appreciate that they have chosen to assist us in honoring and preserving the records of the veterans of Arcadia.”

The Gilb Museum of Arcadia Heritage opened in October 2001 as the Arcadia Historical Museum and was renamed in 2001 to honor the philanthropy and service of Charles and Ruth Gilb. Former Arcadia mayor Charles Gilb served in the U. S. Marines in World War II, and his story is featured in the Veterans Local History Room display through June 2020.

Former Arcadia mayor Floretta K. Lauber, a member of Santa Anita DAR chapter, organized the Friends of the Arcadia Museum in April 2013. In February 2017 the official name of the non-profit organization became Friends of the Gilb Museum of Arcadia Heritage, but the group is still commonly referred to as Friends of the Arcadia Museum. The mission of the Friends “is to promote, support and serve the Gilb Museum of Arcadia Heritage and the Floretta K. Lauber Education Center by acting as advocates for the museum and as ambassadors for educational programming, fundraising and exhibit receptions.” The mission of the museum “is to collect, preserve and recognize Arcadia’s heritage, to create a shared identity for a diverse community and to celebrate the City’s rich heritage with exhibits and educational programs that will encourage community involvement.”

The DAR grants program was started in 2010. Funding is awarded to support projects in local communities which promote the organization’s mission areas of historic preservation, education and patriotism.

The DAR receives hundreds of grants applications each year, making competition high for the funding through the non-profit organization. Interested groups must be sponsored by a local DAR chapter, submit a copy of their public charity 501(c)(3) IRS documentation, and include a narrative describing the need and urgency of the project as well as planned activities and benefits to the community which will result from the grant. To learn more about applying for a grant from DAR, visit dar.org/grants.

For more information please contact Virginia Blitz at (626) 355-8791 or visit dar.org.

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