Hendersonville – Vietnam—it was an unpopular war. The nearly 2.7 million service members who served did not receive a hero’s welcome or the benefits that members of other wars received. Many felt forgotten. Then in 1982, the Vietnam Veteran’s Memorial Wall was built, dedicated on Veterans Day, fulfilling one veteran’s promise to “never forget those who served and sacrificed during the Vietnam War.”
“The Wall”
The memorial is a massive wall that lists the names of the more than 58,000 servicemen and women who lost their lives during the Vietnam War. It’s the most-visited memorial on the National Mall in Washington, attracting more than 5 million people each year.
Standing in front of the wall is a humbling and sobering experience. The wall reflects your image as though you are inside of it, with the names of those who paid the ultimate price carved over your reflection. Included in the names on the wall are over 150 service members from Western North Carolina.
Traveling Vietnam Memorial Wall Comes To WNC
For many, going to the wall can be a healing experience, but many more people don’t have the ability or opportunity to go to Washington, DC, to have this experience. It is for this reason that the Traveling Vietnam Memorial Wall was created. Replicas of the Vietnam Veterans Memorial Wall are sent on tour to hundreds of communities around the country to spread the memorial’s legacy and taking it to those who cannot make the trip to Washington.
On Veteran’s Day weekend, November 9th–12th, The Veteran’s Healing Farm in Hendersonville is hosting the Traveling Vietnam Memorial Wall. The ‘Healing Wall’ will be assembled on Thursday, November 9th, opening to the public starting at 5 p.m. It will remain open 24 hours a day until Sunday, November 12th, at 2 p.m.
The Wall is a 3/5 scale of the Vietnam Memorial in Washington, DC. It stands six feet tall at the center and covers almost 100 yards from end to end. This Traveling Memorial stands as a reminder of the great sacrifices made during the Vietnam War. It was made for the purpose of helping heal and rekindle friendships and to allow people the opportunity to visit loved ones on the wall, in their hometown, who otherwise may not be able to experience the Wall in DC.
Opening Ceremony
The opening ceremony will start Friday morning, November 10th, at 11 a.m. Congressman Chuck Edwards will be a guest speaker, and the Guest of Honor is Colonel David B. Grant, USAF, retired. Then Captain Grant was shot down in 1972 over North Vietnam and held as a POW at the infamous Hanoi Hilton until his release with Operation Homecoming.
Supporting Events Throughout The Weekend
Highlights of the weekend events include readings from Vietnam veterans from Brothers & Sisters Like These. “The mission of the NC Veterans Writing Alliance Foundation and Brothers & Sisters Like These is to provide healing through the arts and creative writing.” There will be a Quilts of Valor presentation, created to “cover service members and veterans touched by war with comforting and healing Quilts of Valor.” There will also be an art exhibition through Bullets and Band-Aids featuring art exhibits from over 20 Vietnam veteran stories. Bullets and Band-Aids matches veterans with writers and artists, collaborating to create a touring art and storytelling experience. Canine Therapy Partners – WNC will also be in attendance over the weekend.
The Veterans Healing Farm
Located at 38 Yale Road, Hendersonville, NC, The Veterans Healing Farm is a 501c3 nonprofit whose mission is to enhance the mental, emotional, and physical well-being of our nation’s veterans and their families. According to Alan “Al” Yeck, Executive Director, U.S. Marine Corps, retired, “We accomplish this through the creation of a safe, peaceful environment that fosters healing and camaraderie. Farm programming focuses on mental health and includes agritherapy, which includes organic farming, beekeeping, and medicinal herbs, as well as a variety of other therapeutic activities, workshops, and live events.”
Parking and Shuttle Service
To provide ample parking, there will be shuttles on Saturday, November 11, 10 a.m.–5 p.m., between the Veterans Healing Farm and parking areas at Mills River Brewing, Bold Rock Cider, and in front of the Historic Courthouse in downtown Hendersonville.
For more information or to volunteer, please contact the VHF at 828-595-6111 or via email at veteranshealingfarm@gmail.com.