VFW Building Campaign

VFW Renovation Campaign

The Locust Grove Arts Alliance is in its 5th year of operation, and in that time, we have provided this community with a wealth of arts opportunities for people of all ages. We have hosted countless events, contests, town beautification projects and exhibits and sponsored teachers, students, and artists in their work and education and received several grants to help us fund our projects. In 2019, we received the only Big Read grant in the state, and we also won the opportunity to be one of 5 towns in the state to host the Smithsonian Institution’s Water/Ways traveling exhibit. We provide the only source of printed town news with our monthly newsletter. We have been the proud recipient of a donated building for our office.

We are now partnering with the local VFW Post 3573 to renovate the historic VFW building and make it a community arts and wellness center for our town.

For the LGAA, this larger space will make it possible for us to provide the following:

• Community theater for both children and adults
• Meeting and event space for community organizations
• Space for arts workshops and presentations
• Functional space for traveling exhibits
• Cherokee language and culture learning area

For the VFW, the remodeled space will make it possible for the post to rent the facility for events that will help pay monthly utility and insurance costs, and it will provide a clean, safe space for VFW meetings and for veterans to gather.

For the community, this space can be a place for fitness classes, arts workshops, family gatherings and celebrations, get-togethers of all kinds, office space, studio space, and so much more.

In the short term, we were able to raise enough funds to make the VFW suitable for the the Water/Ways exhibit Oct. 21-Dec. 7. With the help of VFW members, we made one bathroom clean, safe, and handicap accessible, updated all of the lighting in the main area, did extensive cleaning, painted walls, and removed broken furniture and hardware.

Special thanks go to the LGAA members who donated art for the fundraiser and also to these people, organizations, and companies who donated money or devoted time to make the VFW ready for the exhibit.

Kyle Ackley
Twyla Baker
Caleb Bates
Stephen Bell
Sandy & Clayton Burford
Hugh Callery
Linda Callery
Sarah Coday
Steve Cole
Adele Collette
Michael Duck
Matt Foreman
Steve Garrison
Ray Grass
Bill Guthrie
Nancy June & April Sanders
Andrea Key
Alysha & Canton Little
Grant & Devin Mennecke
Kelly and Mark Palmer
Shaun Perkins
Amos and Betty Perkins
Sula and Doug Robertson
Robb Rose
Roxann and Jerry Yates

Absolute Extermination
Cherokee Nation
Markham Apostolic Church
Mike’s Wholesale
PSO
Reckless Saints of Nowhere
ROMP Rummage Store customer donations
Rural Oklahoma Museum of Poetry
Town of Locust Grove
Wonder City Coffee

In the long term, we hope to renovate the entire building. With the help of our patron Anchor-Stone in Tulsa, we have started in 2019 by acquiring a structural engineer’s report and an architect plan for the renovation.

These reports will be used to help us apply for grants to fund the renovation. We would also like to raise funds in the community. Fundraisers are in the works.

In the meantime, please consider donating any amount that you can: online, through the mail, or in person. All donations are tax-deductible.

To donate by mail, please send checks to:
Locust Grove Arts Alliance
6620 S 4382
Locust Grove OK 74352

To donate in person, please attend any LGAA meeting or come by the office during its operating hours.

If you are willing to donate your time, expertise or services in any way, please let us know that also.

Thank you.