BLYTHEWOOD (May 26, 2016) – The Wall that Heals convoy arrived in Blythewood under a giant American flag on Wednesday afternoon with a motorcycle escort after making its way through downtown Winnsboro and Ridgeway earlier in the day.
Blythewood town officials will host an opening ceremony on Thursday, May 26, at 1 p.m. As part of the ceremony, the Columbia chapter of the Vietnam Veterans of America will lay a wreath at the Wall exhibit.
Also on Thursday, the Blythewood Historical Society will host an educational program featuring a video tribute to local veterans, a Quilt of Valor presentation to area veterans and a display of four restored Vietnam-era military vehicles. The program will be presented at The Manor at Doko Meadows, starting at 6:30 p.m. Some seating will be available on a first-come, first-served basis.
Throughout the weekend, the Blythewood Historical Society together with the Town of Blythewood will be honoring and remembering those who served in the Vietnam War during the town’s second annual Memorial Day observance. Events include a public exhibition of The Wall That Heals that runs May 26-30, and a historical education program about the Vietnam conflict on May 26.
The weekend’s observances center on a public exhibition of The Wall, which is open for around-the-clock public viewing from 4 p.m. on Thursday, May 26 through 5:30 p.m. on Monday, May 30 (Memorial Day).
The Wall That Heals, a 250-foot portable replica of the original Vietnam Veterans Memorial in Washington, D.C., features the names of more than 58,000 men and women who lost their lives in the Vietnam conflict.
The exhibit, an outreach program of the Vietnam Veterans Memorial Foundation, also includes an education center where visitors can learn more about the Americans who served in the Vietnam War.
All events are free and open to the public. Doko Meadows Park and The Manor are located at 171 Langford Road near the corner of Langford Road and US Highway 21 in Blythewood.
Community volunteers will be on hand around the clock to assist visitors in locating the names of friends and loved ones inscribed on The Wall That Heals. For more information, Call Hazel Kelly at Blythewood Town Hall, 754-0501.
