Moving Wall comes to Sebring

John Vawter, commander of the Veterans of Foreign Wars Post 4300 in Sebring, is organizing a fundraising effort to bring The Moving Wall, a half-sized replica of the Vietnam Veterans Memorial, to Sebring in November. To bring the memorial to Sebring, Vawter needs to raise another $4,600.

Moving Wall comes to Sebring


By AIYANA BAIDA

Highlands Today

Published: September 14, 2010

SEBRING - The Moving Wall - a traveling half size replica of the Washington, D.C. Vietnam Veterans Memorial - is stopping in Sebring in November.

That's if John E. Vawter Sr., commander of Veterans of Foreign Wars Post 4300, can raise the remaining $4,600 to bring the wall here.

His mission to raise $10,000 to bring the Moving Wall to Sebring began last October. So far the organization has received $5,400 in donations from organizations like the Veterans Council of Highlands County.

With less than two months left, they need community support to help them raise the remaining money.

Raising the funds has been their biggest challenge.

"Money is scarce," Vawter said.

But Vawter has no doubts they will succeed.
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Moving Wall comes to Sebring

Vietnam Combat Veterans refuses to set up Moving wall

Vietnam Combat Veterans refuses to set up Moving wall at American Indian Exposition
By Brian Daffron, Today correspondent

Story Published: Aug 9, 2010


ANADARKO, Okla. – During the first week of August each year, several Oklahoma tribes meet in Anadarko to make the annual American Indian Exposition a success. Now in its 79th year, one of this year’s major scheduled events was supposed to be the display of “The Moving Wall,” a trademarked replica of the Vietnam Veterans Memorial in Washington, D.C. Money had been raised throughout the year through benefit gourd dances and other fundraising activities in order to pay the $4,500 application fee and other expenses, and expectations were high.

But when veterans of all nationalities gathered for the opening ceremonies on Aug. 5, there was no Moving Wall. Instead, there was nothing but the wooden stand that volunteers made to fit the specifications as requested by Vietnam Combat Veterans, Ltd. – the White Pine, Mich.-based company who owns the Moving Wall – and the heartbreaking disappointment of an entire community.
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Vietnam Combat Veterans refuses to set up Moving wall

Bikers gathered to escort the Moving Wall

Moving Wall arrives
By JO ANN BOBBY-GILBERT (jgilbert@reviewonline.com)


EAST LIVERPOOL - They came from a variety of towns by a variety of conveyances, but their reason for coming was one and the same: to honor the vets.

As early as 7:30 a.m., the roar of motorcycles could be heard traveling toward Calcutta as bikers gathered to escort the Moving Wall to its resting place in Thompson Park.

About 100 riders, many members of the Rolling Thunder veterans' group, solemnly led the trailer hauling the packed-up pieces of the memorial to the park, where it was assembled almost reverently by a group of assorted volunteers.

Dressed in their leather chaps and vests to ward off the early morning cold, the riders included city Councilmen Bink Applegate and James Tennant and city firefighter Jeff Southall.

As the first piece was carried to the apex, onlookers stood quietly, only the clicking of scores of cameras to be heard as history was recorded again in the river city.

This was the second visit to the city for the memorial, which attracted tens of thousands of visitors when it reposed in the park during the Memorial Day weekend in 1994, glistening black panels proudly bearing its stark message for all to see.

Again this time, the community stepped up to the cause, headed by local veteran Ron Simmons, donating money and their time to bring the memorial back to town, prepare a place for it and set it up.

"It's all about our veterans," Mayor Jim Swoger said, as he watched the work progress, each shining black panel carried by two volunteers to its resting place.

"It's an honorable thing, and that's what it's going to be the whole time it's here," Swoger said.
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http://www.reviewonline.com/page/content.detail/id/518405.html