A 250-foot replica of the Vietnam Veterans Memorial will visit East Brandywine this summer.
EAST BRANDYWINE — Hopewell United Methodist Church (UMC) and East Brandywine Township will play host this summer to The Wall That Heals, a 250-foot replica of the Vietnam Veterans Memorial. Part of a national tour, the replica memorial wall and accompanying mobile education center will be on display throughout the day and night, from July 28th to August 1st at East Brandywine Township Community Park, 440 Dilworth Road.
In anticipation of the event, Hopewell UMC and East Brandywine Township are inviting all Chester County residents to an informational meeting at the East Brandywine Township municipal building, 1214 Horseshoe Pike, Downingtown, on Thursday, February 25, 2016 at 7:00 p.m. The meeting will outline plans for the exhibit, including volunteer opportunities.
“This is an exciting opportunity for Chester County residents to experience the impact of the Vietnam Veterans Memorial Wall, and we are asking for volunteers to help with visitor assistance and security during this leg of the tour,” said Sandy Lammey, Chair of East
Brandywine Township’s Parks & Recreation Committee.
“The Wall is the most visited memorial
in Washington D.C. and bears the names of the more than 58,000 men and women who made the ultimate sacrifice in Vietnam.”
“It is a privilege to have been selected to host the Wall that Heals and to provide an opportunity for all residents – especially local veterans and their families – to see the memorial
that honors the three million-pl
s Americans who served during the Vietnam War,” added John
Neider, Pastor of Outreach Ministries at Hopewell UMC.
Since its debut in 1996, more than two million people have visited The Wall That Heals sites. It has made stops in nearly 400 U.S. communities in addition to a tour of Ireland and a visit to Canada. Hosting The Wall That Heals provides area residents with a multi-day educational experience on the history of the Vietnam era and The Wall. The exhibit includes a mobile education center comprised of: photos of service members whose names are found on The Wall; letters and memorabilia left at The Wall in D.C.; a map of Vietnam and a chronological overview of the conflict in Vietnam. The exhibits tell the story of the Vietnam War, The Wall
/2.
and the era surrounding the conflict, and are designed to put American experiences in Vietnam in a historical and cultural context.
The Wall That Heals will be open 24 hours a day from July 28th to August 1st. There is no charge for admission. For more information, visit www.hopewellumc.org or www.ebrandywine.org.
The Vietnam Veterans Memorial Fund (VVMF) coordinates local stops of The Wall That Heals and the accompanying mobile Education Center. The current schedule and more information can be found at www.thewallthatheals.org. The 2016 national The Wall That Heals tour is generously sponsored by: USAA, Disabled American Veterans (DAV) Charitable Trust, FedEx, and Geico.
