MERIDIAN, Idaho — More than 60 volunteers lined a grassy hillside outside Meridian-based Scentsy to transport 146 panels - measured not in size, but by the names they bear - to recreate the Vietnam War Memorial.
The replica monument is passing through 34 cities this year, according to Vietnam Veterans Memorial Fund (VVMF) Director of Outreach Tim Tetz. The replica is built at a 3/4 scale; it holds all 58,218 names etched on the original in memory of the men and women who died serving in the Vietnam War.
In total, VVMF expects more than 200 people from the Treasure Valley to help volunteer through the replica monument's stay in Idaho.
The wall will be available to the public 24 hours a day at Scentsy Commons, located off of Eagle Road near Pine Avenue, until VVMF packs up at 2 p.m. on Sunday. VVMF will have someone at the replica every minute of the day to help visitors find specific names and answer any other questions visitors may ask.
Set-up volunteers consisted of individuals signed in up to help, several Ada County Highway District (ACHD) employees, and staff members from Mission43. A significant number of volunteers served in the U.S. Military.
Among them is Ben McDonald. He started organizing the effort months ago to apply for the replica to stop in Idaho.
"It is a very powerful emotional experience," McDonald said. "I distinctly remember my recruiter saying, ‘you won't go to Vietnam, you will go to Germany with the job that you have.’ Six months later, I was in Vietnam."
An official opening ceremony for the replica is Thursday at 9 a.m. Additionally, the replica will host a candlelight vigil Friday at 9:30 p.m. to read off all the names of Idahoans etched on the wall.
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