“The Wall That Heals,” a 250-foot, half-scale replica of the Vietnam Veterans Memorial, is coming to Chester County this summer.
Hopewell United Methodist Church (UMC) and East Brandywine Township will host the replica memorial wall and accompanying mobile education center display, the only Chester County venue on a national tour, according to a township press release.
The exhibition will be available for viewing throughout the day and night from July 28 to Aug. 1 at East Brandywine Township Community Park, 440 Dilworth Rd., Downingtown, Pa., 19335.
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 in Downingtown, on Thursday, Feb. 25, at 7 p.m. The meeting will outline plans for the exhibit, including volunteer opportunities, the release said.
“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,” Sandy Lammey, chair of East Brandywine Township’s Parks and Recreation Committee, said in the release. “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.”
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. The exhibit includes photos of service members whose names are found on The Wall; letters and memorabilia left at The Wall in D.C.; and a map of Vietnam and a chronological overview of the conflict 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-plus Americans who served during the Vietnam War,” John Neider, pastor of Outreach Ministries at Hopewell UMC, said in the release.
“The Wall That Heals” will be open 24 hours a day during its Chester County display, and there is no charge for admission. The only other Pennsylvania stop scheduled in 2016 will occur in York from May 5 to May 8. For more information on the Downingtown stop, visit www.hopewellumc.org or www.ebrandywine.org.
With support from USAA, Disabled American Veterans (DAV) Charitable Trust, FedEx, and Geico, the Vietnam Veterans Memorial Fund (VVMF) coordinates local stops of “The Wall That Heals” and the accompanying mobile education center. “The Wall That Heals” is transported from community to community by a 53-foot, fifth-wheel trailer with cases built into its sides, allowing it to tell the story of the Vietnam War, The Wall and the divisive era in American history.
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