‘I really never thought that we could heal so many hearts’: Heroes Hall veterans museum marks first anniversary
Feb. 15 holds special significance for Nick Berardino.
As a member of the board that oversees the OC Fair & Event Center in Costa Mesa, that date — marking the official opening of the Heroes Hall veterans museum — represents the culmination of years of work in making it a reality.
“I really never thought that we could heal so many hearts and so many souls and inspire and educate so many young people in such a short period of time,” Berardino said in an interview this week.
“I never dreamed of the healing it would bring me personally,” the Vietnam veteran added.
On Thursday, Berardino was among about 60 people gathered to celebrate the museum’s first anniversary.
The ceremony included brief remarks from Berardino, Fair Board Chairwoman Barbara Bagneris and Fair & Event Center Chief Executive Kathy Kramer.
Guests — some of whom were visiting the museum for the first time — were greeted with a cake adorned with an image of an American flag and the words “Happy 1st anniversary, Heroes Hall” written in icing.
“We will forever be reminded every Feb. 15 of the importance of Heroes Hall as a community asset and a place where the public can learn about the stories and the sacrifices of the veterans who served our country,” Kramer said in an interview this week.
Heroes Hall offers year-round educational programs, performances and rotating exhibitions. During its first year of operation, it drew more than 52,000 visitors and several tours by school and community groups, according to the Fair & Event Center.
Not bad for a building that a few years ago was on the verge of being torn down.
The structure housing that is now Heroes Hall was originally a barracks for the Santa Ana Army Air Base, a World War II-era training camp that covered a large portion of modern-day Costa Mesa, including the fairgrounds property. The base was decommissioned in 1946.
In 2013, the building was slated for demolition to make room for Plaza Pacifica near the Pacific Amphitheatre. However, a coalition of veterans and preservationists successfully lobbied the fairgrounds to preserve it.
The building was moved to its new home near Centennial Farm in 2016 and was renovated to become the museum.
As Heroes Hall enters its second year, its focus will continue to be on public outreach and providing educational opportunities, Kramer said.
She’s particularly excited about “Bravemind,” an upcoming exhibit that will use virtual reality technology to examine the issue of post-traumatic stress disorder. The Fair & Event Center is collaborating on that with the USC Institute for Creative Technologies.
The plan is to launch the exhibit in June and have it run through the Orange County Fair.
Looking back over the past year, Berardino — who works to raise money for the museum as part of the Heroes Hall Veterans Foundation — said he’s been surprised by the reluctance of some Orange County companies to support the museum financially.
He said he hopes that will improve as more people become aware of the museum and its services and programs.
“We have been able to finally bring to Orange County a venue that articulates the sacrifices of the brave men and women who have fought for this country to protect our freedom and to celebrate the fact that freedom isn’t free,” Berardino said.
Heroes Hall is open from 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. Wednesdays through Sundays at the Fair & Event Center, 88 Fair Drive. There is no charge for admission.
For more information, visit ocfair.com/heroes-hall.
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