EAST PEORIA, Ill. – The Vietnam Traveling Memorial Wall is coming back to East Peoria at the end of September, and volunteers are needed to help set up and take down the wall.
The city is also asking for volunteers to help provide information to people visiting the wall, and for security for the exhibit.
The wall will be on display in Levee Park, on W. Washington Street, September 25-29.
Event Co-Chair Dan Decker says people will be able to see the wall any time of day, with some choosing to visit it in the middle of the night.
“That’s a time when some people may come because that’s how their work schedule works out best, or there’s not a lot of other people around. Just a lot of Vietnam vets coming in the middle of the night, because they don’t want the big crowds…especially if they aren’t sure how they’ll react emotionally,” Decker says.
The traveling wall is a three-fifths scale replica of the Vietnam Memorial Wall in Washington, D.C., with all 58,272 names you would find in the nation’s capital.
“The city of East Peoria actually fronted the money to secure it, and that was $1,000. The total cost of bringing the wall is around $6,500 or so,” Decker says.
Donations are being accepted, and any money that’s potentially leftover will be given to the Greater Peoria Honor Flight, Decker adds.
The Vietnam Memorial Traveling Wall will be on display September 25th-29th at Levee Park, on W. Washington Street. Admission will be free.
Set up of the traveling wall will begin the morning of September 25. Tear down is set for September 30.
To volunteer or find out more, click HERE, or call (309) 360-3130 or (309) 251-9174.)
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