Published: June 28, 2007 01:54 am      

HEARTS Museum gets help with $2M grant

Construction of a new building for the HEARTS Veterans Museum moved closer to becoming reality Thursday.

The museum will have access to a $2 million state grant to construct a new facility, state Rep. Lois Kolkhorst told Walker County officials, veterans and residents during a visit to the museum currently located in West Hill Mall.

“A veterans museum for Texas now has a fitting and permanent home in Huntsville,” Kolkhorst said Thursday morning. “It was just time to get real money behind this museum to make it a reality.”

The funds, which will be appropriated to the General Land Office and Veterans Land Board, are contingent upon Walker County first receiving a Federal Emergency Management Agency grant since the museum will be collocated with a planned evacuation center in the county.

“The veterans deserve this,” the Brenham Republican said. “I’m so grateful for what they’ve done.

“Finding a permanent home for the HEARTS Museum has been a focus and passion for me since becoming the state representative for Walker County in 2003.”

Kolkhorst originally secured the land and location for the museum by passing House Bill 2343 in 2003, which granted five acres of land from the Texas Department of Criminal Justice to Walker County for the purpose of a veterans museum.

State Sen. Steve Ogden sponsored the bill in the Senate.

“I couldn’t believe it,” said Charlotte Oleinik, museum director. “I never gave up, because none of these veterans ever gave up. I’m just overwhelmed.”

Richie Harris, president of the museum’s board of directors, said he was excited about getting the money and being able to move forward with constructing the museum.

“I’m elated,” he said. “We’ll