By MIKE COURSON
Great Bend Post
More than 2.7 million American men and women served in the Vietnam War from 1961 until 1975. More than 58,000 of those servicemen and women died while serving. Yet not everyone can make it to Washington, D.C. to visit the Vietnam Veterans Memorial. A 375-foot replica of that wall is coming to Great Bend May 11-14, and Community Coordinator Christina Hayes said volunteers are still needed.
"There's a big setup process, so we need people who can help set the wall up, who can help get the informational tents and everything else up," she said. "Really, there's everything from a tour guide to manpower to physically get the wall up, to even just support staff. If there's something you want to help with, even if it's that you need to sit at a chair and help, we would love to have a volunteer for that."
The Wall that Heals, a three-quarter replica of the memorial wall in D.C., will be open 24 hours a day. The memorial makes just 30 stops across the country each year, and the Great Bend visit will be the only one within a four-state area this year. Larry Parsons, Chairperson for the Great Bend Leadership Committee, is hopeful the memorial will attract up to 15,000 people. Hayes said, beyond the honor of hosting the wall, it could also benefit the area economically.
"Because we are the only one in the four surrounding states, we are hoping for visitors to come into town," she said. "This may not be an overnight, per se, stay for people, but we're at least hoping they'll come into town, have lunch, and spend money while they're in town. This is also a huge honor. It's a very somber, honorable experience, and we are inviting people from 100-plus miles out."
The Wall that Heals will be escorted from Claflin to Hoisington, then on to Great Bend, where it will be displayed at Al Burns Memorial Field. Volunteers can sign up by CLICKING HERE, or call the Convention & Visitor's Bureau at (620) 792-2750.