Framingham State University is planning a special weekend honoring veterans that will feature a special community collecting event with Massachusetts Secretary of Veterans Services Francisco A. Ureña.

Members of the public are encouraged to bring photographs, letters, postcards, medals, clothing and other artifacts related to military service (weapons are not allowed) to the collecting event. These items will be photographed, scanned, and archived in the Framingham State digital repository.

“Many veterans keep items from their military service that become irreplaceable family keepsakes,” says Millie Gonzalez, the University’s Chief Officer of Diversity, Inclusion & Community Engagement. “This is an opportunity for veterans and their families to show these historic items to the community.”

This unique event is scheduled for Saturday, March 24, from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. in the McCarthy Center Forum. On Friday, March 23rd, Framingham State will hold a Grand Opening for its Veterans Center in Crocker Annex.

“Research shows that institutions that have veteran centers have an increase in student veteran success,” says Jacki Wolf, the Coordinator of Veterans Services at FSU. “We are very excited to have this space at Framingham State to better serve the needs of our student veterans and enhance their success.”

In addition to guest speaker Secretary Ureña, the collecting event will also feature a display of artwork from the collection: Dear Dearest Mother; Still-life Montages Composed From the Keepsakes of War Veterans, by FSU Professor Leslie Starobin.

“As a proud Navy veteran from Framingham, I recognize the importance of documenting and sharing these priceless veteran artifacts with the community,” says Dawn Ross, Director of FSU’s Career Services and Employer Relations Office. “The collection will showcase military service and remind us of the sacrifice and service that the few have given to so many to defend our freedoms at home and abroad. In addition, I am overjoyed that FSU has opened a veteran’s center on campus to support and honor our heroic student veterans with a space where they can study and network with other veterans.”

This is the second time Framingham State has hosted a community collecting event. Last May, FSU partnered with the Smithsonian Institution to host an event as part of Latinos in Baseball, a multi-year collecting initiative to identify artifacts that reflect the social and cultural influence of the game on Latino communities.

Framingham State has been a Smithsonian Affiliate since 2015.