Bring The VVMF "Wall That Heals" To Spring Hill, TN

Please take a moment to watch & learn about what bringing The Wall That Heals to communities across the country means for those we lost, their families & the millions of Vietnam veterans and their loved ones.

The Wall That Heals The Wall That Heals, a traveling, 3/4 scaled version of the Vietnam Veterans Memorial will be on display at the National Veterans Memorial and Museum Memoria...

Do you want to see what hosting The Wall That Heals looks like & experience it for yourself?

The Wall That Heals is coming to Russellville, Kentucky in June 2024.

LC Archives & Genealogical Society - The Wall That Heals Discover The Wall That Heals

In 1982, The Vietnam Veterans Memorial Fund (VVMF) dedicated The Vietnam Veterans Memorial in Washington D.C. Since its dedication, it has become one of the most visited memorials on the National Mall with over 5 million visits each year, yet millions of others are still unable to see The Wall in Washington D.C. Shortly after The Wall’s dedication, the first traveling version began touring the country. In 1996, VVMF recognized a need to provide a traveling version of The Memorial and The Wall That Heals (TWTH) was dedicated. While these other exhibits are necessary to meet the public’s desire, as the founders of The Wall, VVMF sought to differentiate its exhibit by replicating The Wall experience as much as possible. To this day, this is accomplished through ongoing and close cooperation between the hosting organizations, their communities, and VVMF. Of the four “walls” traveling throughout the United States, The Wall That Heals is the largest replica, the only one wholly owned and operated by a non-profit organization, and the only one accompanied by the mobile Education Center. The preeminent exhibit coupled with close involvement of VVMF staff and significant preparations by hosts helps ensure a positive experience for every community selected to host The Wall That Heals.

Hosting The Wall That Heals is an opportunity that will not only transform a community but also challenge the most experienced of event hosts. From Tuesday until Sunday, the hosts will be required to meet the needs of hundreds of volunteers and thousands of visitors for 24-hours each day no matter the weather, crowds, or other needs. Operationally the hosts will be charged with enlisting the cooperation of many groups and organizations including motorcyclists, law enforcement, veteran, and other community service clubs, and schools. VVMF has seen the most successful events have been those that included a broader committee beyond merely the site chair/co-chair. These individuals oversee the main components of the event. These primary responsibilities are categorized as Volunteer Coordinator, Education Outreach, Site Coordinator, and Es**rt Captain. Volunteer Coordinator – this person is responsible for recruiting, informing, and managing the hundreds of volunteers necessary for the event. From the preparation prior to arrival to the dozens of volunteers necessary to set up and take down the
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the exhibit, to the hundreds required to serve and engage with the visitors around the clock during the display, the Volunteer Coordinator has the greatest undertaking. He/she works to fill a schedule of volunteers with members of the local community. The Volunteer Coordinator works closely with the VVMF Site Manager to educate the volunteers on Wednesday evening for their role throughout the week. The coordinator is responsible to make certain that each of the shifts has adequate volunteers to meet the needs and number of public visitors.
Site Coordinator – this individual is primarily responsible for tasks related to the site and its operation. He/she works directly with VVMF on the placement of the exhibit, the mobile Education Center, and other supplementary additions such as local displays, volunteer check-in tents, and bathrooms. He/she oversees, coordinates, and assures electrical needs are met, signage and barricades are placed for safe interplay between vehicle and foot traffic, and the site is safe for the crowds, weather, and special events that are expected.
Es**rt Captain – while usually a member of a local motorcycle ride club such as the Patriot Guard, the es**rt captain can be a member of the law enforcement community as well. He/she works to develop a ride route that will maximize the enjoyment of the participants while giving the public the opportunity to gather and “welcome home” The Wall and its es**rt ride participants. The Es**rt Captain is responsible for coordinating with local and regional law enforcement to obtain the necessary approval and permits (when required). He/she then works closely with the
VVMF Site Manager during the procession into the community on Tuesday afternoon.
Education Outreach – one of the greatest benefits of having TWTH in your local community is the opportunity for education at a level impossible even at The Memorial in Washington D.C. VVMF staff who accompany the exhibit to each community are trained to engage with students of all ages and levels. That combined with access to The Memorial and mobile Education Center provides an opportunity to meet the curriculum needs and desires of educators that are often missed in the classroom.
Beyond that, it provides an opportunity for social clubs, civic organizations, and other “students” to partake in an effort to learn about the Vietnam War, the Wall, and its legacy. The Education Outreach coordinator is responsible for informing, recruiting, and managing participation for these visits. He/she should have good connections within the local education community and understand the most effective way to assure their participation.
In addition to these positions, it is not uncommon for individuals to be assigned the tasks or roles of dealing with law enforcement or first responders, the media, VIP guests and speakers, and event logistics.

Greetings and thank you for your interest in this effort to bring the Vietnam Veteran Memorial Fund's "The Wall That Heals" to Spring Hill, Tennessee.

I am an eleven year resident of Spring Hill, Tennessee where I live with my wife Meredith and my 10 year old son Liam. I'm also the son of the late John W. Ball of East Liverpool, Ohio who served in the United States Army during the Vietnam War (1969-1970) and was inducted into the Vietnam Veteran Memorial Fund's In Memory Program in 2019.

On Veterans Day 1996, the Vietnam Veterans Memorial Fund (VVMF) unveiled a replica of the Vietnam Veterans Memorial in Washington, D.C., designed to travel to communities throughout the United States. Since its dedication, The Wall That Heals has been displayed at nearly 700 communities throughout the nation, spreading the Memorial’s healing legacy to millions.

Bringing The Wall home to communities throughout our country allows the souls enshrined on the Memorial to exist once more among family and friends in the peace and comfort of familiar surroundings. The traveling exhibit provides thousands of veterans who have been unable to cope with the prospect of facing The Wall to find the strength and courage to do so within their own communities, thus allowing the healing process to begin.

The main components of The Wall That Heals are The Wall replica and the mobile Education Center.

The Wall That Heals exhibit was on the road for nearly 18,000 miles and visited 32 communities across the country during its 2023 season. We were es**rted by nearly 3,000 vehicles into those communities, and we were able to spread The Wall’s healing legacy to more than 222,000 visitors. Guided tours of the exhibit were provided to more than 21,000 visitors.

The site fee to host The Wall That Heals is $11,000. The overall budget needed to fund all aspects of hosting the wall for an entire weekend is approximately $30,000. The goal of this fundraising effort is to bring the The Wall That Heals to Spring Hill, Tennessee in 2025 or 2026.

Thank you so much for your generosity and for funding this opportunity to honor the men and women who lost their lives in the Vietnam War as well as provide an environment for surviving veterans to visit, remember and heal. I am truly excited to make this effort a reality and bring The Wall That Heals to Spring Hill and to Middle Tennessee.

Watch this brief video to learn more: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JVQ75eUfOSM

Learn all about The Wall That Heals here: https://www.vvmf.org/The-Wall-That-Heals/

Thank you,
Matthew Ball
Spring Hill, Tennessee

The Wall That Heals - Vietnam Veterans Memorial Fund The Wall That Heals is a traveling three-quarter scale replica of the Vietnam Veterans Memorial that tours the country with a mobile Education Center.