By COLE REIF
Great Bend Post
The Vietnam Veterans Memorial replica received quite the welcome into Great Bend in May, and thousands of citizens came to see the memorial that honors the men and women who made the ultimate sacrifice in Vietnam. The numbers are in, and more than 13,000 citizens visited The Wall That Heals during its three-day stay at Al Burns Field in Veterans Memorial Park.
Larry
Parsons, chairperson for the Leadership Committee that helped bring The Wall
That Heals to Great Bend, was happy to see the community’s response.
"I was expecting good numbers, but that was better than I expected," said Parsons. "We worked hard. Our committee did a lot of publicizing and were very well organized. It didn't surprise me were getting up to those numbers."
Great Bend is one of 32 stops for The Wall That Heals in 2023. The trailer
hauling the 375' wall arrived to Great Bend May 9 with
hundreds of citizens lining the streets waving American flags at various spots
along its path to Al Burns Field. Community members helped construct the wall
the following day.
"I like talking to the veterans and sharing some of their stories," said Parsons. "I really enjoyed giving them a coin we had made. A lot of them were very emotional about it. That meant a lot to me."
Parsons said he is now focusing on getting a Vietnam exhibit displayed at the
Barton County Historical Society.
Kim Nollette, Volunteer Coordinator stated, “our community came together and stepped up in such a big way. The people honored and recognized the Vietnam Veterans as they truly deserved! It makes me so proud and touched the lives and helped others heal!”
Mike Harbaugh, a Veteran Team members said, “I felt honored to be there and listen to the stores that the Vietnam Veterans told. It was amazing that they were able to share with their families the stories at the Wall that Heals. It was a great and humbling experience, I’m so grateful to be part of the team that brought it to Great Bend!”
Chris Krueger, a Veteran Team Member and Escort Coordinator, said “I was so impressed with the escort turnout in Claflin, Hoisington and Great Bend to welcome The Wall That Heals. When I turned onto Great Bend Main Street and saw all the flags, I had to blink a lot! I also noticed that even though people didn’t know anyone on the wall, it was still a wonderful chance to share stories and learn about this war.”
Tim Nollette, Committee Co-Chair stated, “I loved how there was such a diverse group of people that helped throughout the process! All different occupations, generations and cultures, but came together as a unit to provide this for the community. The high school aged volunteers gave me hope and inspiration for our future and the stories I heard from Veterans had never been told before.”
Scott Donovan, a team member stated, “I learned a lot from the Veterans I met, I still shed tears when I think about the stories I heard and what these men and women went through and the families they left behind. I appreciate the endless hours from a small group of caring committee members to make this happen for Great Bend.”
Melanie Nollette, Team member said, “People continue to stop and tell me what an awesome project it was! I’m proud of my grandpa Larry Parsons for having the idea of bringing this to town and I learned so much more about the history and the sacrifices that were made for our country!”
The City Representatives were Scott Keeler, Christina Hayes and Amanda Gaddis, and from the public lands and promotions side of things, Hayes said, “I am truly honored to be part of this project and journey – every step of the way we were coordinating and working to provide the very best experience for all, and thank you to each and every volunteer and attendee for taking part in this honorable tribute to our Vietnam Veterans!”
Additional Committee members other than those listed above included David Meter, Boe Levingston and the countless volunteers that helped this process.