World War II exhibit in Donora open again

By KRISTIE LINDEN

klinden@yourmvi.com

Donora Historical Society and the Donora Public Library have announced that the World War II exhibit on loan from the Heinz History Center is once again open for visitors.

The exhibit, known as “We Can Do It! WWII,” opened at the end of January and was expected to close in early April, but the pandemic forced those plans to change.

The organization had to cancel several of the final events associated with the exhibit, including a speaking event with Holocaust survivor Judah Samet and the Veterans Breakfast Club event planned at the Donora American Legion Post 212. 

Historical society volunteer Mark Pawelec said he doesn’t know when such events can be rescheduled as future plans are still so uncertain in general. Veterans Breakfast Club organizers initially said they would aim for a fall event, but nothing has been arranged.

The exhibit was supposed to be taken down and returned to the Heinz History Center after April 7, which was supposed to be the last day it was open to the public.   

Instead, the library closed after the exhibit’s last public event, which was the women’s WWII fashion tea March 14. Because the Heinz History Center closed at the same time, there wasn’t anyone to take the exhibit down. 

The display remains in the library’s basement as it was originally set up by Heinz History Center employees in January. Now that the library has reopened to the public, the exhibit is available for visitors.

“If you wanted to see the exhibit, but never got the chance, now will be the time to visit,” Pawelec said.

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