By MIKE COURSON
Great Bend Post
GREAT BEND — Only around one-third of those who served in the Vietnam War are still living today. That's why, about a year ago, Larry Parsons, chairperson for the Wall That Heals/Great Bend Leadership Committee, decided to take action. The Wall That Heals will be arriving in Great Bend in less than a month, and Parsons shared details about the event at Wednesday's Barton County Commission meeting.
"When I first applied to the Vietnam Veterans Memorial Fund, I set four goals," he said. "They were to assist the Vietnam veterans in their healing process, recognize the families, educate the public, educate our youth, and to promote Great Bend and Barton County."
The Wall That Heals is a three-fourths replica of the Vietnam War Memorial in Washington, D.C. On Sunday, May 7, the wall will be dismantled in Kyle, Texas, then transported 10 hours north to Claflin. On May 9, an escort group of 40-80 motorcyclists will escort the 53-foot, 70,000-pound trailer to Hoisington, then down 281 Highway to Great Bend.
The wall will then make a tour around Great Bend, going around the 281 Bypass to 10th Street. On its way to Main Street, Riley Elementary students will greet the wall with a decorated fence. Parsons said the wall has been greeted by lines a mile long and hopes to see a healthy throng of patriots in the Great Bend downtown area as the wall travels north down Main Street.
Park Elementary students will greet the wall as it passes by Dillons. The escort will continue north to 24th Street, then head west past Jefferson Elementary, where students will be waiting with flags. The parade will travel all the way down 24th to K-96 Highway before making a pair of left turns to arrive at its destination at Al Burns Field in Veterans Memorial Park.
The Wall That Heals will be on display 24/7 in Great Bend from May 11-14. Given the graduations that weekend and Mother's Day that Sunday, Parsons said many volunteers are still needed for set up, to staff the exhibit, and dismantle the wall that Sunday at 2 p.m.
"They will send along two people with them that are professionals," he said. "They will take charge once they get here. They will do the volunteer training. They will tell us where to set it for sure. They will make any changes."
An opening ceremony will be held on the morning of Thursday, May 11. Kansas Secretary of State and Great Bend native Scott Schwab will deliver a short speech, and approximately 600 Great Bend High School social studies students will be present at 9 a.m. to fulfill the exhibit's educational requirements.
Parsons said the Wall That Heals is the largest traveling wall in the nation, and the only one to also feature a mobile education center. Other wall-host sites have drawn as many as 17,000 visitors.
The local Wall That Heals stop will also honor six local Vietnam veterans who died in the war. Private First Class Edward Lloyd Saenz was killed in action on Oct. 2, 1968, at the age of 20. Parsons presented a shadowbox to the Saenz family during Wednesday's commission meeting. Edward's brother, Chris, reminded everyone the Wall That Heals needs to be staffed 24/7, and would make a great volunteer project for local civic groups. Volunteers can sign up by CLICKING HERE, or call the Convention & Visitor's Bureau at (620) 792-2750.