In conjunction with Agoura Hills's , paying tribute to the bestseller Unbroken by Laura Hillenbrand about WWII veteran Louis Zamperini, the city's Cultural Arts Council (CAC) is organizing an exhibit honoring local WWII vets. Veterans and their families are invited to submit artifacts from WWII to be put on display in the Agoura Hills Library throughout April.
Suggested items for the exhibit are photos, documents, letters, uniforms, medals, awards, memorabilia, etc. Particularly sought for the display are items related to Japan and the South Pacific which tie into the book's theme.
On the New York Times Bestseller List since 2010, Unbroken captures the story of invincible Louis Zamperini, whose Olympic running career was put on hold when he was drafted into the Army Air Corps during WWII. Trained as a bombardier, Zamperini's plane crashed on a mission in the middle of the South Pacific in 1943. After surviving 47 days on a raft in shark infested waters, he was captured by the Japanese and became a prisoner of war. Barely surviving his captor's brutality that lasted until the war ended, he returned home only to fight his own personal demons of rage and revenge until he discovered how to turn his life around once more.
Items for the exhibit may be dropped off at the Department of Recreation, 30610 Thousand Oaks Blvd. Be sure to include the name of the individual(s) to whom the item(s) belonged, what branch of service and enlistment dates, anything unique to share, and the family name who is loaning the item(s) and city of residence. The last date to submit items in April 1, 2013.
For more information about the exhibit, contact Cim Castellon at cimcastellon@gmail.org. Phone number is (818) 606-5900.
The exhibit will be one of many tributes held throughout April during the One City, One Book program focusing on endurance, survival and redemption. Louis Zamperini will speak at the Agoura Hills Regency Theater on Wednesday, April 10, at 1:15 p.m. The event is free but seating is limited; tickets available on a first come first serve basis starting at 12:30 p.m. the day of the event. The complete program schedule of all related events will be available on the city website, www.ci.agoura-hills.ca.us.
