May is National Military Appreciation Month. Soon, Walt Disney World Resort will be welcoming a portraits of veterans that were painted by former President George W. Bush to EPCOT. Disney shared today that starting on June 9, “Portraits of Courage: A Commander in Chief’s Tribute to America’s Warriors, a special exhibit from the George W. Bush Institute, will be featured as part of Disney’s enduring admiration for those who serve in the U.S. Armed Forces and veterans.”
The exhibit comes from President Bush’s personal commitment along with the work of the Bush Institute’s Veterans and Military Families program. The exhibit will include over 60 vibrant oil paintings created by President Bush of service members and veterans who have served in military uniform with honor since 9/11. These are people the President has come to know personally since leaving office.
“Celebrating those who give so much to our country has been part of the fabric of The Walt Disney Company throughout our 100-year history,” said Josh D’Amaro, Chairman, Disney Experiences. “We’re grateful to the Bush Institute for allowing us to feature this special collection and share it with our guests.”
Stories Through Art
Throughout the exhibit, each painting is accompanied by the story of the veteran depicted. Guests who visit the exhibit will learn more about these military heroes’ journey. Disney shared that there are ” tales of valiant service on the battlefield, resilience in recovering from injury to the continued leadership and contributions they make in their post-military careers.” Each story was personally written by President Bush.
“We are thrilled Portraits of Courage will be on display for EPCOT visitors to experience this year,” said Ken Hersh, President and CEO of the George W. Bush Presidential Center. “My hope is that those who have the opportunity to see this special exhibit will also remember the leadership, service, and sacrifice behind each of the heroes painted and the unique challenges our servicemembers and their families face when transitioning out of the military.”
Resources For Post 9/11 Veterans
Along with the artwork, the exhibit will also include information and resources to support post 9/11 veterans and their families. One resource is called Check-in. Check-In is a tool for veterans and their families to easily connect to no cost, high-quality, mental and brain health care. To learn more about Check-In, visit Veterancheckin.org.
Care Kits
Disney has other things coming throughout National Military Appreciation Month. This includes Disney Consumer Products hosting a series of Disney VoluntEARS events alongside the Disney SALUTE veteran employee resource group. In both Glendale, CA and Orland , FL, these teams will work to assemble 4,000 USO care packages for deployed military service members. The USO Care Package Program is designed to provide service members with a connection to home while they are serving overseas in challenging conditions.
Since 2003, The Walt Disney Company has worked with the USO on various initiatives. This includes care packages, family room renovations, USO/character tours and movie screenings. By the end of May, Disney VoluntEARS will have assembled 16,000 care packages in this year alone for deployed military service members!
Disney will be celebrating National Military Appreciation Month with more events that lead up to the return of the Department of Defense Warrior Games to Walt Disney World June 21-30, 2024.
