Veterans
Committee
Preparing
for
Vietnam
Traveling
Wall
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replica of the Vietnam Memorial
Wall will be in Blue Ridge from
October 3 through October 7, 2019.
Elaine Owen, chairman of the Special
Veterans Project Committee, said the
wall is a tribute to veterans who served in
Vietnam.
“All the names listed on this Traveling
Wall make it a healing wall, and it gives
those who come closure,” she said.
She then said they want to make the
visit of the replica wall to Blue Ridge a
memorable event. The Wall will be set
up on the grassy area beside the United
Methodist Church, behind the Chamber of
Commerce building.
“I want to make this as elaborate as we
can,” she said. “We have invited Gov.
Brian Kemp, Senators Johnny Isakson and
David Perdue, U.S. Representative Doug
Collins, our Representative and Speaker
of the Georgia House, David Ralston
and State Senator Steve Gooch. We have
also personally invited county and city
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Fannin County and all visitors.”
Owen said she would like for all the
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the Vietnam Traveling Wall’s visit to
Blue Ridge to show respect for those
whose names are on the wall and for
their families.
“We have made that request, but we
have not heard if it will be honored. We
owe it to the families of those listed on
the Wall, and to those who served, to do
the best we can do on this and make it as
elaborate as we can. If we can’t get the
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that they be lowered in the county,”
said Owen.
Owen indicated that the timeline for
the wall is to leave Florida early morning
October 3, and arrive at the site for
opening ceremonies by noon. Setup will
begin as soon as the Wall is off-loaded
at the United Methodist Church site, and
it will (hopefully) be open to visitors
beginning at noon that day and 24 hours a
day thereafter until October 7. Then, the
wall will be taken down to move to the
next location on its tour.
Owen said they hope is to have a
procession in the county that could be
miles long. “We know we have the Patriot
Riders to escort the Wall. We have also
talked to the state, the sheriff, the chief of
police and the county commissioners. We
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and other vehicles for the procession,”
she said.
In addition, the committee would like
the school bands to participate in the
opening and perhaps have them perform
the service organizations songs as a single
group. The program will include invited
speakers and the veterans organizations,
including the North Georgia Honor Guard.
Owen said they need to raise $25,000
for the visit and said they have paid
the initial payment to reserve the dates.
Another payment is due 30 days before
the arrival date.
“There are at least three traveling walls,
and the one coming to Fannin County
is from Florida, the Vietnam Traveling
Memorial Wall. If more money is raised
than needed, it will be used to expand
the Veterans Conference Center. Several
organizations have offered to have
fundraisers to help us—and we need that,”
Owen said.
Donations can be made to an account
set up by Colonel George Pletcher for the
event at the United Community Bank.
Checks can be made payable to the
Vietnam Traveling Memorial Wall and
donations are tax deductible, thanks to Jim
Brumbelow who set up the 501c3.
If you have ideas for a fundraiser or
would like to sponsor an event to raise
money to get the Traveling Memorial Wall
to Fannin County, please contact Elaine
Owen at (706) 258-3406 or by email at
fanninsentinel.elaine@tds.net or Susan
DeMoura at (706) 900-6295 or by email at
fcdw2017@gmail.com.
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