Women of WWII
Courtesy photo The new Women of WWII exhibit at Farragut honors the contributions women made to the war effort. A ribbon cutting ceremony will take place at the Museum at the Brig at 11 a.m. on Sunday to officially open the display for the public.
Courtesy photo The Blazen Divaz, a lively local entertainment group, raised $1,000 to help build the Women of World War II exhibit in the Museum at the Brig at Farragut State Park, which will be unveiled Sunday. The ladies are seen here near the sailor memorial at the front of the park.
New Farragut
exhibit honors ladies who
contributed
to war efforts
By DEVIN HEILMAN
Staff Writer
FARRAGUT STATE PARK — Ladies will be in the spotlight this Memorial Day weekend as Farragut State Park unveils its new exhibit, "Women of World War II."
A ribbon cutting ceremony will take place at the Museum at the Brig at 11 a.m. Sunday. The exhibit was made possible with the help of the Blazen Divaz, a local entertainment organization that raised $1,000 for the project.
"The focus during the war was all the training, and the ladies were a major part of that training and support," said Blazen Divaz producer and director John Parmann. "When you see something that's tangible as those uniforms and the stories behind them, it brings to life what the sacrifice was for these women."
Each year, the Divaz raise funds for a cause that benefits local women. Last year they worked with Farragut Ranger Errin Bair to come up with an idea for the Museum at the Brig. They wanted to honor the women who volunteered their time and served their country during the war.
"Being able to help with a display that brings that history forward and for the community to appreciate, it's a value to young and old alike," Parmann said. "We're extremely excited."
Bair, who manages the museum's exhibits, said rearranging the cell blocks and pulling items out of storage for the Women of WWII exhibit actually made it possible for a few more new displays to be built.
"Putting together this exhibit led us to change multiple exhibits at the museum and basically give the whole place a freshening up," Bair said. "This year, with the help of the Blazen Divaz, we were able to honor those women who worked at Farragut in the hospital, administration and many other jobs. We were also able to show people just how much this country came together in a time of need."
Bair said the displays all came together "like a puzzle that we didn't know needed finished."
The event is free and open to all. A $5 vehicle fee is required to enter the park.
Info: 683-2425, ext. 32