OSU Museum of Art to host Veteran Family Fun Day Nov. 9
Tuesday, November 2, 2021
Media Contact: Elizabeth Gosney | Museum Marketing and Communications | 405-744-2783 | egosney@okstate.edu
The Oklahoma State University Museum of Art, OSU Office of Student Veteran Success and OSU Center for Sovereign Nations will host a Veteran Family Fun Day and hygiene drive from 3-6 p.m., Nov. 9 at the museum.
This special event — part of a weeklong Veterans Day celebration — is open to all university students, veterans and community members.
Art-focused activities at the museum will include card making, letter writing and paper soldier art. Participants can leave cards, letters and artwork with museum staff, who will send them through the nonprofit Operation Gratitude to military members serving abroad.
During the event, museum staff will give short tours of two current exhibitions, Red/Green/Cow: Selections from the OSU Museum of Art Permanent Collection and Themes on Being: A Mark Sisson Retrospective. A selection of art by Native American veterans will also be on display in the museum’s mini-vault. Featured artists include Brummett Echohawk (Pawnee, 1922-2006), Harding Big Bow (Kiowa, 1921-1997), and Jerome Richard Tiger (Muscogee Creek-Seminole, 1941-1967).
“Not only are we celebrating the contributions and talents of veterans, but we’re also bringing the community together to support deployed service members,” said museum Curator of Education Christina Elliott. “In addition, we’ve joined with a nonprofit to host a hygiene drive for homeless veterans here in Oklahoma.”
Participants are encouraged to bring items such as deodorant, toothpaste, toothbrushes, small bottles of mouthwash, feminine hygiene products, shampoo and socks. Donations will be given to Homeless Military Veterans of Oklahoma City.
“This is a way of showing veterans that when they get out of the service, they aren’t just a number. They matter,” said Kelly Hall, founder and president of Homeless Military Veterans. “Something small, like these donations, can change someone’s whole perspective.”
Hygiene items will be collected at the OSU Museum of Art during the event and at the OSU Office for Student Veteran Success throughout the week of Nov. 8-12.
The OSU Museum of Art is located at 720 S. Husband St. in downtown Stillwater. Hours are 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. Tuesday through Saturday and 11 a.m. to 7 p.m. on Thursday. Admission is free, thanks to generous support from the OSU Museum of Art Advocates. For more information about the museum, visit museum.okstate.edu or call 405-744-2780.