JACKSONVILLE, Fla. — Less than 24 hours after Action News Jax shared the Military Museum of North Florida’s struggle to replace its failing air conditioning system, the community has stepped up in a major way.
Museum leaders announced that Willman Air has donated a brand-new air-conditioning unit and will install it on Thursday at no cost to the museum.
The donation comes after museum officials warned that extreme heat inside the historic World War II-era Quonset hut could threaten thousands of military artifacts and documents preserved inside.
“None of this would have been possible without Action News Jax bringing awareness to our situation,” Executive Director Virmara “Ne-Ne” Landfair said. “Your story reached the community and inspired people to step up and help.”
Landfair said the museum has also received an outpouring of financial support from the community. The museum’s GoFundMe campaign has raised approximately $4,757, and another $1,250 has been donated directly to the museum as of Saturday evening.
“We are truly overwhelmed by this act of generosity,” Landfair said. “It will help us continue preserving priceless military artifacts and provide a comfortable environment for veterans, students, volunteers and visitors.”
The Military Museum of North Florida, located in Green Cove Springs, relies on donations and volunteer support to operate. Earlier this week, museum leaders said they feared they could be forced to close if they were unable to afford the necessary repairs.
Now, with a new air conditioning unit on the way and thousands of dollars in community donations, museum leaders say they can continue their mission of preserving and sharing the stories of America’s service members for future generations.
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