On Saturday, Nov. 8, the Veterans Memorial Museum will hold its first Shades of Red, White & Blue Masquerade Gala from 5 to 9 p.m. at The Loft — located at 547 NW Pacific Ave. in downtown Chehalis — benefiting the museum.
The Chronicle visited the museum in Chehalis on Tuesday, Oct. 28, to talk to Veterans Memorial Museum Executive Director Chip Duncan to learn more about the new fundraising event.
“It’s going to be the first time we’ve ever done something to this scale. We of course have expanded our veterans services over the past few years, trying to help out with veterans getting benefits and connecting them with mental health resources and things like that,” Duncan said. “And of course that comes at a cost. So, we’re kind of doing this fundraising to bolster our ability to provide these services for veterans in our community free of charge.”
Ever since the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) closed the South Sound VA Clinic in Chehalis back in 2021, veterans who call Lewis County home have been left with multiple-hour commutes to Olympia, Longview, Seattle or Portland to access VA medical care or benefit assistance.
Duncan added in the past 12 months, 220 veterans visited the museum to get assistance with obtaining benefits and back pay, totalling $3.7 million. They’ve also assisted veterans’ spouses with obtaining dependency and indemnity compensation following the death of the veteran, and helped veterans obtain grants for wheelchairs and home renovations to make them more accessible to those with disabilities.
“A whole plethora of things that have helped the community. This gala is to basically help to raise funds so we can keep doing that,” Duncan said.
While there are still some tickets for the gala left, he stated over 200 have already been sold. Tickets are $100 per person, or $800 to reserve a table for eight.
During the gala, renowned country artist Kitty Mae will be performing. Additionally, while the gala is being called a masquerade, fancy attire and masks are not actually required to attend.
“We’re really just concerned that people come and have a good time,” Duncan said.
During the gala, silent and live auctions will be held, with the top auction item up for bids being a paid-for excursion at Drive Tanks at the Ox Ranch in Uvalde, Texas, with airfare included.
“That’s where you get to drive a Sherman, drive a German half-tank and drive a Soviet T-34 tank. You get to fire the main guns off of each one of those. You get to fire the machine guns off of each one of those, and then infantry weapons as well,” Duncan said.
Other auction items include trips to Hawaii and the Margaritaville Lake Resort in Texas, a wine tasting excursion, a puppy adoption package featuring a vaccinated and fixed dog ready for a new home and more, and one year of paid tuition.
Duncan thanked the gala’s sponsors for helping pay for the auction items.
“We really want to thank J & L BBQ, Bob Holland Insurance, Lucky Eagle Casino, Braun Northwest — we got some great, great sponsorships,” Duncan added.
Other sponsors include Timberland Bank, Sierra Pacific Industries, Edward Jones, Sandrini Construction, Cedars HomeCare of WA, Gesa Credit Union and the Cascade West Veterinary Hospital.
For more information on the inaugural Shades of Red, White & Blue Masquerade Gala or to purchase tickets, visit the Veterans Memorial Museum’s website at https://veteransmuseum.ejoinme.org/military.
