Traveling Dignity Memorial(R) Vietnam Wall Comes to Tampa Area

Community Invited to Pay Respects to America's War Veterans

BRANDON, Fla., Oct. 26 /PRNewswire/ -- The Dignity Memorial® Vietnam Wall, a
three-quarter-scale traveling replica of the Vietnam Veterans Memorial in
Washington, D.C., will be on display October 29 - November 1 at Hillsboro
Memorial Gardens, 2323 West Brandon Boulevard in Brandon, Fla.

"The monument was created as a service to those who might never travel to the
nation's capital to experience the Vietnam Wall firsthand," said Beth
Rodriguez, General Manager of Hillsboro Memorial Gardens, a member of the
Dignity Memorial network of funeral, cremation and cemetery service providers
that created the replica in 1990. "Our replica offers visitors a chance for
healing and reflection, and we are very pleased to be able to share it with
the community," she said.

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 replica.

Created by the Dignity Memorial network of funeral, cremation and cemetery
service providers in 1990, the Dignity Memorial Vietnam Wall is dedicated to
all Americans who served in Vietnam and honors all veterans of the U.S.
military. The exhibit is sponsored locally by Hillsboro Memorial Gardens and
the Dignity Memorial Providers in the Tampa area.

The exhibit is free and open around-the-clock from Thursday, Oct. 29 at 7:00
p.m. through Sunday, November 1 at 4:00 p.m. Activities and ceremonies planned
in conjunction with the exhibition include the following:

-- A motorcade of Vietnam veterans and other riders from area motorcycle
clubs will depart Sunset Memory Gardens in Thonotosassa, Fla., at
10:00
a.m. Tuesday, October 27 to escort the replica to Hillsboro Memorial
Gardens, where it is scheduled to arrive at Noon.
-- Volunteers will construct the Dignity Memorial Vietnam Wall on
Tuesday,
Oct. 27 at 1:00 p.m.
-- An Education Day on Wednesday, October 28 from 10 a.m. - 1 p.m. and on
Thursday, Oct. 29 from 9 a.m. - 1:30 p.m. will make the replica
available to local high school classes studying the Vietnam War. The
Vietnam Helicopter Association will have a Vietnam-era helicopter on
display that students will be allowed to sit inside.
-- At 7 p.m. on Thursday, October 29 there will be a candlelight memorial
service beginning with a POW/MIA remembrance ceremony presented by the
Veterans Museum of Hillsboro County. The Marine Corps League will
perform Taps after the POW/MIA ceremony.
-- Opening Ceremonies will begin at 11 a.m. Howard Shapiro, Vietnam
veteran
and meteorologist for FOX 13, will serve as the master of ceremonies.
Jerry Klein, a Vietnam veteran who served with A Company, 2nd
Battalion,
8th Calvary, 1st Division, will deliver the keynote address. Klein was
awarded the Silver Star, the Air Medal and the Combat Infantryman's
Badge for his service in Vietnam and now serves as National Chair of
the
Veterans Benefits Committee for Vietnam Veterans of America. A missing
man formation flyover will conclude the opening ceremonies.

-- Closing Ceremonies will take place on November 1 at 2 p.m. The Last
Patrol will perform a special "Ceremony of Remembrance" to honor and
remember the country's fallen heroes. The ceremony will end with a
time
capsule rededication and a moment of silence.

Limited parking is available at Hillsboro Memorial Gardens. Additional parking
will be available at the Westfield Shopping Mall in the eastside parking lot.
Shuttles will run from Hillsboro Memorial Gardens to the mall on Friday, Oct.
30 from 10 a.m. - 1 p.m.; Saturday, Oct. 31st from 10 a.m. - 4 p.m.; and
Sunday, Nov. 1st from Noon - 4 p.m.

After visiting the Tampa area, the monument will be on display in North
Lauderdale, Fla., from November 6 - 8. To date, the replica has traveled to
more than 200 cities across the country and has been visited by millions of
Americans.

The Dignity Memorial Vietnam Wall is one of many efforts of the Dignity
Memorial network to honor and support our nation's veterans and active
military. The Dignity Memorial network will also host educational Veterans
Seminars at the Best Western Brandon Hotel, located at 9331 Adamo Drive, on
Thursday, Oct. 29th at 4:00 p.m.; Friday, Oct. 30th at 11:00 a.m. and 3:00
p.m., and Saturday, Oct. 31st at 11:00 a.m. Other initiatives and programs
include the Veterans Planning Guide, the Dignity Memorial Homeless Veterans
Burial Program, and special pricing and benefits for members of three veterans
service organizations.

For more information about the Dignity Memorial Vietnam Wall and its visit to
the Tampa area, call 813-689-8121 or visit www.DignityMemorial.com. To learn
more, get updates or become a fan of the Dignity Memorial Vietnam Wall, visit
www.facebook.com/DignityMemorialVietnamWall.

About Hillsboro Memorial Gardens
Hillsboro Memorial Gardens is a proud Dignity Memorial provider in Brandon,
Fla. 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.

Media Contact:
Jennifer Jordan
713-525-9788
Jennifer.Jordan@sci-us.com

SOURCE Dignity Memorial

Jennifer Jordan, +1-713-525-9788, Jennifer.Jordan@sci-us.com, for Dignity
Memorial