Vietnam Memorial Restoration Nears Completion

PHILADELPHIA, Nov. 5 /PRNewswire/ --

What: Photo/video opportunity or pre-Veterans Day coverage at the newly
restored Philadelphia Vietnam Veterans Memorial

When: Now until Veterans Day ceremony at noon on Wednesday, Nov. 11

Where: Memorial at Front and Spruce streets, near the Hyatt at Penns Landing

Contact: Terry Williamson, President, PVVM Fund (terry.williamson@comcast.net,
610-637-0980) or Adam Leiter at 215-875-4363

Background
Efforts are continuing at a frantic pace to complete work for the Veterans Day
unveiling of the newly restored Philadelphia Vietnam Veterans Memorial,
necessitated by 21 years of wear and damage from the weather, general use and
vandalism. A more than two-year effort to raise the $500,000 needed for the
first phase of our "Duty to Remember" Campaign for the preservation of the
Memorial has resulted in the replacement of paving material, restoration of
damaged granite, new lighting, a refurbished "wall of names," the installation
of flagpoles to honor POW/MIAS and for each of the Armed Services and other
improvements to create virtually a "brand new" Memorial. One of the other
exciting improvements is a web-based 24/7 camera system, which just became
operational this week, to permit individuals to visit our web site at
www.pvvm.org to view a live video feed of the Memorial.

The ceremony will feature an unveiling of the wall of names by the Vietnam
history class of LaSalle College High School and raising of the Armed Services
flags by an active duty member of each branch of service. The keynote speaker
is PA Justice Seamus McCaffrey and remarks will be delivered by Mayor Michael
Nutter. The unveiling marks the start of the second phase of our campaign,
which is to open the Spruce Street side of the Memorial to create greater
awareness and deter the vandalism that continues to plague the site since its
dedication. The goal is to raise an additional $500,000 for this phase.

SOURCE Philadelphia Vietnam Veterans Memorial

Terry Williamson, President, PVVM Fund, +1-610-637-0980,
terry.williamson@comcast.net; or Adam Leiter, +1-215-875-4363