The University of North Georgia in Dahlonega is preparing to host what promises to be one of the most moving veterans tributes in Northeast Georgia. The university will display The Wall That Heals, a three-quarter-scale replica of the Vietnam Veterans Memorial.
This memorial wall honors the more than 58,000 troops who died in Vietnam. It is also a place of remembrance and healing for the veterans who served, their families, and the community at large. A mobile education center will accompany the wall, where people can learn more about the Vietnam War and the service and sacrifice of U.S. military personnel.
The Wall That Heals Vietnam Veterans Memorial Replica and Mobile Education Center will be at UNG from October 29 – November 3. It will be located on the Plaza in front of the library on the Dahlonega campus.
Profound experience
The Vietnam War touched countless lives. Over three million Americans served in the U.S. Armed Forces during the conflict.
For those who have not had the profound experience of visiting the Vietnam Veterans Memorial in Washington, D.C., this moving wall brings that experience closer to home.
Sandra Cantrell, President of the Clermont Historical Society, grew up in Washington D.C. “I had the chance growing up to see firsthand so many beautiful monuments that most people never get to see. This is such a wonderful way to honor our veterans.”
UNG President and U.S. Army veteran Michael Shannon says, “It’s not just a memorial. It’s a powerful testament to courage, to sacrifice, and to the enduring cost of freedom.”
The moving wall includes the names of the 28 UNG alumni and students killed in action in Vietnam.
The 375-foot-long replica is constructed of Avonite, a synthetic granite supported by 140 aluminum frames. Like the original memorial, The Wall That Heals allows visitors to do name rubbings of individual service members whose names are embossed on it.
Schedule of events
The Wall That Heals is due to arrive on the UNG Dahlonega campus on Tuesday, Oct. 29, and will be installed on the Plaza on Wednesday, Oct. 30. President Shannon will preside over the opening ceremony, beginning at 5 p.m. Wednesday.
The exhibit will open to Lumpkin County school students on Thursday and to the general public on Friday, November 1. At 7:30 p.m. on Nov. 1, there will be an Agent Orange Awareness Ceremony.
Organizers are expecting the highest number of people to visit the wall on Saturday, Nov. 2.
The Wall That Heals exhibit will remain open 24 hours a day during its time in Dahlonega. It will close at 2 p.m. on Sunday, Nov. 3, and will depart Dahlonega on Monday, Nov. 4.
Free community event
There is no charge to visit the wall, and visitors do not need to obtain a ticket to view it.
If you’re looking for a group to attend with, the Clermont Historical Society will be carpooling to the exhibit on Friday, November 1. They will meet at the Clermont DIP Library, located at 639 Main Street, and depart for the wall at 11 a.m.
For more information, call Cantrell at 678-300-5206.
“We will view the Wall at 2 p.m. and also grab some lunch. It will be a very memorable day,” she says.
The Wall that Heals is presented by UNG in partnership with the Dahlonega City Council, Lumpkin County Veterans Affairs Council, Dahlonega-Lumpkin County Visitors Bureau, and the Lumpkin County School District.
