By The Beachwood Three-Day Weekend Affairs Desk
Here are two things you can do about it.
1. Museum & Library honors veterans with free lineup of events for Memorial Day / Tribute includes exclusive free access to new exhibit on U.S. Navy SEALs.
“The Pritzker Military Museum & Library will celebrate Memorial Day on May 24 with several free offerings for the public, including a military genealogy talk, drop-in oral history sessions, a movie matinee, and free access to the new SEAL: The Unspoken Sacrifice exhibit.
“The Museum & Library also will participate in the city of Chicago’s annual Memorial Day Parade by sponsoring a float dedicated to the men and women who have served in support of Operation Iraqi Freedom.
“From 10 a.m. until 4 p.m., all patrons will be granted free regular admission to the Museum & Library and access to its full range of resources, including the newly unveiled SEAL: The Unspoken Sacrifice exhibit.
“Featuring more than 80 intimate photographs of SEALs and their families by Stephanie Freid-Perenchio, the exhibit also includes a wide range of artifacts on loan from the Navy SEAL Museum in Fort Pierce, Florida, a rare book display from the Museum & Library’s collection, and an official U.S. Navy photo exhibit memorializing fallen SEALs from 2001 to the present day.
“At 10:30 a.m., genealogist Jennifer Holik will discuss her work and offer advice for those interested in pursuing a more complete history of family members who have served in the U.S. military.
“Holik, who has conducted extensive research using the Museum & Library’s resources, is the author of To Soar with the Tigers and the recently published Stories of the Lost. Learn more or reserve your seat here.
“Throughout the day, veterans and those who have actively supported the military are encouraged to share their stories of service with the Museum & Library’s Holt Oral History Program, which seeks to preserve the history and heritage of citizen soldiers through firsthand accounts of their experiences.
“Participants will be interviewed in the Museum & Library’s private Coleman T. Holt Oral History room, where state of the art technology is used to capture and later share these important oral histories.
“Other free activities include hourly guided tours by Museum & Library staff and a big-screen showing of Tears of the Sun at 1 p.m., as part of the regularly scheduled Saturday Matinee Series.”
2. The world premiere of a new play with a revealing look at how duty alters the lives of the men and women who serve. Five veteran’s stories from Vietnam, Afghanistan and Iraq weave together a common theme of strength, courage and camaraderie.
“In 2006, Chicago Danztheatre Ensemble created Unraveling Bill, a 15-minute performance about Theresa Blake’s brother Bill, who committed suicide shortly after returning from military service in Iraq. Bill’s suicide sent ripples of pain and destruction through his family and community.
“Injury Prevention published a study in March of 2012, which found that between 2004 and 2008, the rate of American soldier suicide increased by 80%.
“Chicago Danztheatre Ensemble is expanding Unraveling Bill to include more veterans and their families stories called Unraveling Veterans which will illustrate a more complete description of veterans’ needs, presence, and the true cost of war.”
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Comments welcome.
Posted on May 22, 2014