The National Coast Guard Museum Association is thrilled to be among the invitees to tonight’s advanced screening of the Walt Disney Pictures’ production of “The Finest Hours” at the Garde Arts Center in New London. We are so pleased that the Coast Guard Academy and Institute for Leadership (IFL) have brought this event to New London, and are excited to see their training in action as we witness tonight’s shared leadership event.

Academy cadets, officer candidates and local community leaders will learn how singular acts of courage and leadership like those featured in “The Finest Hours,” in times of crisis, are not easily made. The challenges faced by Bernie Webber and the crew of the CG36500 in 1952, as highlighted in the film, are similar to those that will test the young men and women in tonight’s audience as they serve our nation and their community.

The IFL generously allotted 168 tickets to the National Coast Guard Museum Association. Because we are unable to charge admission to the event, we elected to use the limited seating to invite a variety of leaders from the community, who we believe will share in our cooperative effort to bring a world-class National Coast Guard Museum to New London. These community leaders span the political, educational, civic, religious, nonprofit and business spectrum.

We cannot and are not using tonight’s event as a fundraiser, but our need to raise money to build the museum is critical. Private donations from across the nation will constitute the majority of funds required for construction. Those donations will result in a museum that will be open to all without any admission charge, with an educational component invaluable to attendees young and old. We look forward to putting on programs that inspire our future generations.

Our National Coast Guard Museum on our New London waterfront will be dedicated not just to Coast Guard history and heroism, but also to teaching the very leadership principles to be discussed tonight. We see this as a small example of what is soon to come to our region once the fundraising is done, the museum is constructed, and doors are open.

Semper Paratus and thank you, U.S. Coast Guard, for giving America heroes like Bernie Webber and his crew.

Richard Grahn is the president of the National Coast Guard Museum Association.