Community Invited to Pay Respects to America's War Veterans
SEATTLE, July 13 /PRNewswire/ -- The Dignity Memorial(R) Vietnam Wall, a
three-quarter-scale traveling replica of the Vietnam Veterans Memorial in
Washington, D.C., will be open for public viewing August 14-16, 2009 at Acacia
Memorial Park, 14951 Bothell Way NE in Seattle.
Free and open to the public 24 hours a day from Friday, August 14 through
Sunday, August 16, the replica is eight feet high and 240 feet long. Its
black, reflective surface is inscribed with the names of more than 58,000
servicemen and women who died or are missing in Vietnam. Paper and pencils
will be provided so visitors can make rubbings of names etched on the wall.
The Dignity Memorial Vietnam Wall is dedicated to all Americans who served in
Vietnam and honors all veterans of the U.S. military. The three-day exhibition
is sponsored by Vietnam Veterans Association Posts 102 and 423 and local
Dignity Memorial funeral, cremation and cemetery service providers.
"The monument was created as a service to those who might never travel to the
nation's capital to experience the Vietnam Veterans Memorial firsthand," said
Donna Wagner, director of Dignity Memorial providers in Seattle. "Our replica
offers visitors a chance for healing and reflections, and we are very pleased
to be able to share it with the community," she said.
Activities and ceremonies planned in conjunction with the exhibition include
the following:
-- Motorcycle Escort--More than 1,000 Patriot Guard riders will escort
the
replica to Acacia Memorial Park on Sunday, August 9.
-- Opening Ceremony at 10 a.m. Friday, August 14. A military history
display including military vehicles, uniforms and weapons covering the
last 60 years of United States military history (Korean War through
present day); along with an arts and crafts tent for families to
create
letters and cards which will be sent to military personnel serving in
Iraq and Afghanistan.
-- Memorial Ceremony at 4 p.m. Saturday, August 15 (Keynote Speaker:
Major
Joe Crecca, Vietnam Veteran and survivor of Hanoi Hilton prison
system.)
-- Closing Ceremony at 4:00 p.m. Sunday, August 16 (Keynote Speaker:
Margarita Suarez, Vietnam Army Nurse, Executive Director Widowed
Information and Consultation Services)
The Dignity Memorial Vietnam Wall was created by the Dignity Memorial network
of funeral, cremation and cemetery service providers in 1990. To date, the
replica has traveled to more than 200 cities across the country and has been
visited by millions of Americans.
"Dignity Memorial providers consider it an honor to serve those who served our
country," Wagner said. "The Dignity Memorial Vietnam Wall is just one of many
efforts of the Dignity Memorial network to honor and support our nation's
veterans and active military personnel." Other initiatives and programs
include the Veterans Planning Guide, the Dignity Memorial Homeless Veterans
Burial Program, educational veterans' seminars and special pricing and
benefits for members of three veterans service organizations.
The Dignity Memorial network of more than 1,600 funeral, cremation and
cemetery service providers is North America's most trusted resource for
funeral and memorialization services. Dignity Memorial providers offer an
unmatched combination of products and locations serving families with care,
integrity, respect and service excellence. For more information, visit
www.DignityMemorial.com.
Contact:
Karen Covington
713-927-1724
SOURCE The Dignity Memorial Network
Karen Covington of The Dignity Memorial Network, +1-713-927-1724
