By Jessica Gorman
The Dorcheat Historical Association Museum has been in operation since 2008. Its purpose is to collect and preserve the history of Webster Parish and to share it with you. The museum exists for the public and it exists because of the public. The role of the association is essentially to be the facilitator and the caretaker.
In 2025, our museum is growing. Our long-awaited, much-needed expansion project is currently underway. That, too, is because of the public. The first phase of that project is 100% funded by private donations. We are immensely grateful to those who believe in the importance of our work and choose to support it. This project is not just about expanding our facilities, but increasing our capacity to serve our community.
That expansion project has been a dream for years. In January, it was still nothing but a dream, just something to figure out how to tackle – one day. And then, things began to change, quickly and unexpectedly. We launched a fundraising campaign and the community responded generously. I cannot adequately express my appreciation. Your support means more than you know. We can’t wait to welcome you to this new space and we hope that you are as excited and proud as we are.
Our annual fundraiser gala is a little over a month away. This year’s event is in celebration of our expansion and those who have made it possible. We invite you to join us for an evening celebrating our progress, acknowledging all those who have made that possible, and looking to the future. While we celebrate our future, we must also ensure the resources are in place for continued operation of the museum.
We hope you will plan to join us at the museum on Monday, September 8th at 6:00pm. This event is crucially important to the museum and is currently our largest source of income. As a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization, the Dorcheat Historical Association and Museum, Inc. depends upon the financial support of the community to fund the operation of the museum. Each and every dollar is an investment in a community asset. It is an investment in the work of our organization to preserve our history and make it accessible to you. When you invest in the museum, we promise to honor your contribution by ensuring that it is spent responsibly and in full support of our mission.
As we have done the past three years, this year’s gala will feature a cake auction conducted by “Dr. Feelgood” Richard Campbell and “TLC Picker” Tracy Campbell. We will also have silent auction and live auction items as well as a chance to win $1,000 cash. Event tickets and raffle tickets are currently available on our website www.dorcheatmuseum.com.
We’re excited about what the future holds. We hope to see you on September 8th and we hope you will join us in our mission to preserve the history of Webster Parish.
(Jessica Gorman is Executive Director of the Dorcheat Historical Association Museum, Webster Parish Historian, and an avid genealogist.)