Sept. 7, 2007

The Wall That Heals, a half-scale replica of the Vietnam Veterans Memorial in Washington, D.C., will be on display Sept. 27-30, at Bailey Memorial Stadium on the Presbyterian College campus in Clinton.

Thousands of visitors are expected to make a patriotic pilgrimage to the site, which will be open to the public from sunrise to sunset Thursday, Sept. 27, through Sunday, Sept. 30.

In addition to The Wall That Heals, the college also will host the Hall of Heroes, a local tribute to America's defenders. On Thursday, Sept. 27, 21 additional Laurens County veterans will be inducted into the Hall at a ceremony 6 p.m. inside Bailey Memorial Stadium. Retired U.S. Marine Col. King Dixon of Laurens will be the guest speaker.

The four-day event also will include displays of armed forces vehicles and equipment, including Blackhawk, Apache, and Chinook helicopters; an M1 Abrams tank; a Bradley Fighting Vehicle and a variety of communications vehicles. Veterans will be selling patches, shirts, and memorabilia; the National Guard and other branches of the military will have recruiting vehicles and a climbing wall for young visitors.

The focus of the four-day event, though, is on The Wall That Heals, which was unveiled on Veterans Day 1996 and designed to travel to communities throughout the United States.

The Band of Brothers, a group of motorcyclists who are veterans, will escort The Wall That Heals on its way to Clinton on Sept. 25.

Carey Bolt, the Veterans Affairs officer for Laurens County, said he hopes The Wall That Heals will stir up patriotism and pride - "pride in the country and pride in the men and women who serve in our armed forces."

The Wall That Heals also features a traveling museum and information center that provides both an educational component and the healing power of the Vietnam Veterans Memorial. The museum chronicles the Vietnam War era and the unique healing power of the Vietnam Veterans Memorial, while the information center serves as a venue for people to learn about friends and loved ones lost in the war.

"I hope those veterans who come to the Wall will receive some type of healing – and that they'll see that America really does care," said Bolt.

Since its dedication, The Wall That Heals has visited more than 250 cities and towns throughout the nation, spreading the Memorial's healing legacy to millions.

For more information on The Wall That Heals event at Presbyterian College, including directions, schedules, and lodging, got to www.presby.edu/wall.

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