Vietnam Travelling Memorial Wall reaches Attica

ATTICA — The Vietnam Travelling Memorial Wall has made its way to the campus of Seneca East Local School District Thursday, ahead of the Stars, Stripes and Lights Cross Country meet. According to Matt Schock, event coordinator, the memorial will be guarded and on display 24 hours a day from 3 p.m. Thursday, following its construction, until 8 a.m. Sept. 9, when it will be disassembled before traveling to its next location. The memorial will only be closed during its stay from 3 p.m. to midnight Saturday. During that time, it will be open to the participants, attendees, and volunteers of the Stars, Stripes, & Lights Cross Country Meet that evening. Another individual who helped to organize the event was Jim Alt, local resident and veteran. "We just kinda worked to put the word out, and once people knew the wall was coming, we started receiving requests to volunteer," said Alt. "Mostly, it came through word of mouth, but we did make some social media posts as well." Alt explained that the construction of the memorial, landscaping and more for the event were completed solely by volunteers. "We helped with the escort, helped to put flags up and more– Last night I believe we put up 130 flags along the street," said Alt. The arrival of the wall, according to Schock, was two years in the making. He explained "It was a lot of behind the scenes work", from organizing volunteers to avoiding scheduling conflicts. About the Monument According to Doc Russo, wall manager, this wall has been traveling since 2006. "Two people travel with the wall, and it requires a group of 10 plus people to set-up or tear-down the monument." According to Russo, it takes roughly between 2 to 3 hours to set up or tear down the wall. "The Wall is a three-fifths scale of the Vietnam Memorial in Washington DC," said Russo. "It stands six feet tall at the center and covers almost 300 feet from end to end." According to their website, it was made for the purpose of both helping heal and rekindle friendships, as well as to grant people the opportunity to visit loved ones in their hometown who may not be able to travel as far as DC. The monument is transported via trailer and constructed by creating a metal track into which plates containing the names of veterans can be slid. The tracks are weighed down and bolted together behind the wall and the plates, made of aluminum, can weigh up to 85 pounds. To navigate the monument, those in attendance may either utilize the assistance of a guard or follow a few utilities implemented into the monument's design. On the left hand side of each name is a bullet-point, and on the right hand side of the plate containing said names is a bullet point for every 10 rows of names. The monument begins in the center, at the highest point of the monument and contains both a west side and east side. Additionally, each plate is labeled in the bottom right corner. So for example, if someone knew of a name that was located in the 10th row, 3 over on plate 4E (4 east), it would be significantly easier to locate rather than to go name by name. It Began with an Idea "The community has really stepped up. What started as a cross country meet has evolved into both a school-wide and community-wide event," said Schock. In 2020, Seneca East had its first nighttime track meet, where Schock first had the idea to do a USA-themed race. "I'd seen it done at other schools out of the state for daytime events and thought this would be really neat to do in the area at night," he said. A year later, on Sept. 11, 2021, marked the 20-year anniversary of 9-11, which Schock saw as an opportunity to start something unique. In remembrance of those who lost their lives now 23 (soon-to-be 24) years ago, an idea was brought to fruition: The Stars, Stripes, and Lights cross-country meet. "We had a B-17 fly over the field as part of the event," said Schock, "From there, it has just kind of evolved into what we have this year." What started as a themed cross-country event has developed into a community-involved event. "Members of AVR Fire escorted the monument into town and onto campus today from Sandusky," said Schock. "The choir, directed by Mrs. Kim Spencer– performs at the event because music brings people together." Schock continued explaining the various parties involved, including members of the football team helping to set up flags, teachers bringing their classes to view and learn about the monument, local organizations and businesses, and more. Schock shared that he cannot thank all local parties, organizations and individuals involved enough for their time, resources and support. Additionally, Schock noted gratitude to the Seneca East staff, administration, and Board of Education for their support, saying "The principals, superintendent, and all five board members have volunteered in some way throughout the weekend– That's special." In addition to the monument's display, Seneca East will host its annual Stars, Stripes, and Lights race on Saturday, followed by a pinning ceremony for local veterans at 5 p.m. Sunday. The race, scheduled to start at 4:30 p.m., and the final race, scheduled to start at 11:55 p.m., will feature over 2,000 runners, and many military recruiting booths will be set up on site. Each race starts with fireworks, and there will be a special ceremony of remembrance during the meet. As part of the ceremony, skydivers will land during the National Anthem, and special patriotic music will be performed live. Local veterans who wish to be pinned at the ceremony must sign up by checking in at the white tent on the west side of the Vietnam Traveling Memorial Wall no later than 4:30 p.m. that day. The pinning ceremony will include the Color Guard, special renditions of music, a bagpiper and a remembrance of the 27 Seneca County Vietnam Veterans who were killed in action. Additionally– taps, a rifle salute and a tolling of the bells will take place. For more information about the wall, visit https://www.travelingwall.us/.