“The rate at which we are losing World War II veterans today is staggering,” says filmmaker Cliff Bumgardner. “Their stories must be told, recorded and played back for future generations so that we never forget what these amazing men and women did for our country.”

Raleigh resident Vic Spence fought on Iwo Jima during World War II and witnessed the iconic moment when six Marines raised the United States’ flag on Mount Suribachi. Over 60 years later, Bumgardner captured the story in his first documentary.

Bumgardner will discuss his short film during History à la Carte: Behind the Film: Vic Spence, A Documentary of Life and War on Wednesday, March 13, from 12:10 to 1 p.m. at the N.C. Museum of History in Raleigh. In the film, the Marine Corps veteran and Purple Heart recipient tells his story in his own words. Admission is free. Bring your lunch; beverages will be provided.

View the documentary and talk to its 20-year-old director about the war and modern storytelling through film. Vic Spence chronicles the veteran’s journey from childhood to Parris Island and Iwo Jima to his 40 years of service in law enforcement.

For more information about the Museum of History, call 919-807-7900 or access ncmuseumofhistory.org or Facebook.

The folks at Marbles Kids Museum are sponsoring a food drive to help the Food Bank of Central and Eastern North Carolina and they need your help.

Donate four cans of food and you'll receive one free admission to Marbles or a Buy-One-Get-One-Free pass to see a documentary film at the IMAX movie theater.

The food drive runs through Wednesday, Nov. 21. Drop off your canned goods between 9 a.m. and 5 p.m. at the museum, 201 E. Hargett St., Raleigh, 27601, with the exception of Monday, Nov. 19, when the museum is closed.

There's a limit of one free admission per person.

Mother's Day is Sunday, but there's no need to panic, even if you're short on cash.

This year, there are enough freebies to keep her busy all day long. And she definitely won't go hungry.

Keep reading for the complete list of freebies, which includes free DVD rentals, free admission to an IMAX movie, free breakfasts, free lunch, free desserts and more.

I'll continue to update the list as the week goes on so check back often.

Barry Porter, regional executive director of the American Red Cross, will give a free presentation on the history and services of the Red Cross, including the organization's role in WWI in Raleigh. The program will be at the Raleigh City Museum from 1 to 4 p.m. on Saturday, January 14. The museum's collection includes original WWI posters and propaganda.

The Ava Gardner Museum in Smithfield was recently ranked No. 2 in the country.

Livability.com, a website that rates quality of life in towns across the U.S., featured the downtown museum in an article on the "Top 10 Fun and Unusual Museums." The website's editors wrote that they "went digging for these weird museum gems in dynamic cities across the U.S."  and the hometown homage to Gardner  came out near the top.

The museum ranked just ahead of the Texas Cowboy Hall of Fame in Fort Worth, Texas, and the Great American Dollhouse Museum in Danville, Ky. But the National Museum of Roller Skating in Lincoln, Neb., edged out the Ava Museum for the top spot.

Click here to read what the website had to say about the museum.

See photos of Agriculture Commissioner Steve Troxler driving his restored tractor from the State Fairgrounds to the Museum of History. Photos by ... more

See construction photos and renderings of the new expansion at the N.C. Museum of Art.