HONORING WOMEN'S CONTRIBUTIONS: Tracy Hunt's mural will be permanently displayed at Pope's Museum new outdoor exhibit. (Jill Holloway/The Thomasville Times- Enterprise)

CAIRO- Pope’s Museum will unveil a new mural and exhibit honoring female veterans of the United States Armed Forces on Saturday, March 22, 2025. 

The mural pays homage to veterans and the museum’s namesake, Laura Pope Forrester, who was one of the early proponents of women’s importance in society, especially in their contributions to the nation’s military. 

During her lifetime, Pope Forrester created more than 200 sculptures at her museum, many of which honored women. This new exhibit and space will continue her legacy of recognizing the role of women in the success of the country. 

The exhibit wouldn’t be possible without Pope’s Museum Executive Director Michelle Dean, who envisioned combining Pope Forrester’s love for the military and women’s rights to draft a grant proposal. 

“Laura Pope Forrester had two ideals and values that she put in her art,” Dean said. “One of them was to honor veterans and the other was to showcase and honor the achievements of women in a time when women had very limited political, economic, legal, and military opportunities.” 

Pope’s Forrester’s dedication to supporting women earned her a spot in the Georgia Women of Achievement, while her home and now museum are forever ingrained on the National Registry for Women’s History. 

Knowing this, the Georgia Council for the Arts allowed Dean to write a Vibrant Communities Grant. 

Following the awarding of the grant, Tracy Hunt was selected to paint a mural that would be permanently housed in the new outdoor exhibit. 

With the outdoor exhibit now complete, Dean is excited to welcome distinguished guests and veterans on Saturday. 

Members from Firm Dance Company, along with the Navy JROTC at Cairo High School will be present to serve and perform. 

Chief Petty Officer Patsy Scribner will serve as the Keynote Speaker, while Chaplain Colonel Linda J. Pugsley will serve as the Master of Ceremonies. 

“Both women are retired from the military and are amazing,” Dean said. “It’s a real privilege to have them.” 

Scribner served as the State Commander for the VFW and is a member of the National Board, while Pugsley did two flight tours as an air flight nurse in Vietnam. 

Women Veterans Unite, a non-profit that supports female veterans will also be in attendance. Women Veterans Unite members got a sneak peek during the early days of the exhibit, where they encouraged Dean to place seating and a fire pit, so veterans could have a safe place to sit and talk, sharing feelings and stories of days gone by. 

“They were very excited and some were moved to tears,” Dean said. “Some were moved to jubilation.” 

Since that initial visit, members of the Women Veterans Unite have come to volunteer and help ready the space for its debut. 

“We want everything about this event to be inspirational, educational, and patriotic,” Dean said. “We want this day to tell the story of the impact women have made in the history of the United States military.” 

While the event highlights female veterans, Dean hopes to see every veteran in attendance. The event is free and begins promptly at 10 a.m. However, she encourages individuals to begin arriving at 9:30-9:45 a.m. 

Following the event, there will be a meet and greet where veterans can speak with members of the public and interact with other veterans. 

Once the day has concluded, Dean hopes veterans feel they can always gather at the spot and “fill up their cup.” 

“I want this place to always be educational,” she concluded. “I want veterans to come here and be inspired and feel our gratitude, but I also want families to come here and take time to remember women, so the next time they think veteran, they think of women just as much as men.”