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The Wall That Heals is Coming to SLO County

March 16, 2023 - March 19, 2023

Free

Help us spread the word!

The Wall That Heals is coming to San Luis Obispo County, the travelling three-quarters replica of the Vietnam Veterans Memorial in Washington D.C. bearing over 58,000 names of lives lost in the Vietnam War. On March 14th, a local motorcade escort will lead TWTH transport trucks through North County down Highway 101 from San Miguel to it’s exhibit location at the Madonna Inn Meadows in San Luis Obispo. This event is presented by the San Luis Obispo County of Veterans Services Office (SLOVSO) and the Central Coast Veterans Memorial Museum (CCVMM), a 501c3 nonprofit, in partnership with the Madonna Inn and Legacy Village of Nipomo, with support from additional community sponsors and individual donors.

The exhibit will open after midnight of March 15th, and remain open 24 hours day & night until closing March 19th at 1:30pm. This emotional, educational, note-worthy event is free to the public and will include scheduled Group Tours, with priority given to schools and veterans clubs and organizations attending.    The three-quarter scale Wall replica is 375 feet in length and stands 7.5 feet high at its tallest point. Visitors will experience The Wall rising above them as they walk towards the apex, a key feature of the design of The Wall in D.C. Visitors are able to do name rubbings of individual service member’s names on The Wall. In addition to the wall exhibit, an education trailer will be onsite with the wall exhibit.

The mobile Education Center exhibit includes: digital photo displays of “Hometown Heroes” – service members whose names are on The Wall that list their home of record within San Luis Obispo County; digital photo displays of Vietnam veterans from the SLO County and neighboring counties honored through VVMF’s In Memory program honoring veterans who returned home from Vietnam and later died; video displays that teach about the history and impact of The Wall; educational exhibits told through items representative of those left at The Wall in D.C.; a replica of the In Memory plaque; a map of Vietnam and a chronological overview of the Vietnam War. The exhibits tell the story of the Vietnam War, The Wall and the era surrounding the conflict, and are designed to put American experiences in Vietnam in a historical and cultural context.

VOLUNTEERS ARE NEEDED!
Must be 18 years-old or older. No experience is needed, training will be provided. Volunteers assist visitors around the event site, finding names on the wall, and with name rubbings on the wall exhibit.  Volunteers will receive an event t-shirt, water bottle and access to the onsite Volunteer Tent with snacks and refreshments during shift.  To volunteer at the wall, sign-up for your desired day/ time slot: https://signup.com/group/1264706495046830027

More information can be found at: www.vetmuseum.org/the-wall-that-heals or contact one of the following for specific areas of this event:

  • March 14th, Motorcycle Escort Signups: Jim Stitt at (805) 270-2988 or [email protected]
  • March 16-19, Group Tour Reservations: Tabitha Castillo  at [email protected]
  • March 15 – 19,  Volunteer Opportunities:  Bobby Ramos at  [email protected]
  • Event Sponsorship and In-kind Donations: Sarah Twisselman at [email protected]
        • If you are interested in donating meals to feed volunteer shifts, or to provide in-kind  contributions to support this event, please reach out!
  • Media Coordinator: Kendra Scott at [email protected]

Brief Event Schedule (see event webpage for full schedule)

  • March 14th – Motorcycle Escort from San Miguel to Madonna Inn
  • March 15th – Setup and Volunteer Training; Wall Opens after midnight!
  • March 16th – Wall open 24 hours; 10:00am Opening Ceremony
  • March 17th – Wall open 24 hours
  • March 18th – Wall open 24 hours
  • March 19th – Closing Ceremony at 1:30pm

About VVMF

The Vietnam Veterans Memorial Fund (VVMF) is the nonprofit organization that built the Vietnam Veterans Memorial (The Wall) in Washington, D.C. in 1982. VVMF continues to lead the way in paying tribute to our nation’s Vietnam veterans and their families. VVMF’s mission is to honor and preserve the legacy of service in America and educate all generations about the impact of the Vietnam War and era through programs, ceremonies and education materials. Since its debut in 1996, the exhibit has been on display in more than 700 U.S. communities in addition to an April 1999 tour of the Four Provinces of Ireland and a visit to Canada in 2005. The Wall That Heals is a program of VVMF, the nonprofit organization that built the Vietnam Veterans Memorial in Washington, D.C. in 1982. The Wall That Heals is the only traveling exhibit affiliated with The Wall in Washington, D.C. and includes the largest Wall replica that travels the country. More information can be found at: www.thewallthatheals.org.

Event info

Details

Start:
March 16, 2023
End:
March 19, 2023
Cost:
Free
Website:
www.vetmuseum.org/the-wall-that-heals

Organizer

Central Coast Veterans Memorial Museum
Phone
(805) 543-1763
View Organizer Website

Venue

Madonna Inn Meadows
120 Madonna Rd
San Luis Obispo, CA 93405 United States
+ Google Map
Phone
(805) 784-2410
View Venue Website

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