The annual Veterans Day ceremony is planned for 11 am on Sunday, Nov. 11. A Candlelight Memorial Wal
PALMDALE – The City of Palmdale and Point Man Antelope Valley will host the Antelope Valley's Mobile Vietnam Veterans Memorial Wall (AV Wall) from 5 pm this Thursday, Nov. 8 to 8 am Tuesday, Nov. 13 at the Palmdale Amphitheater, located at 2723 Rancho Vista Blvd. under the theme of “Welcome Home Antelope Valley Vietnam Veterans.”
The monument is open to the public around the clock during the display period. Admission is free.
“In keeping with our theme, we invite all local Vietnam Veterans to submit ‘Then & Now’ photos of themselves to be showcased at the event,” said Stacia Nemeth, AV Wall Treasurer and Volunteer Coordinator. “We will have an honor wall in our information tent to pay tribute to our local Vietnam veterans. These are the men and women who enable us to have this display every year. It is quite fitting that we dedicate this year’s event to them.”
Photos may be mailed to The AV Wall, P.O. Box 4874, Lancaster, CA 93539-4874 or emailed to Stacia@avwall.org. Veterans should include their name, contact information, branch of service, date of service and location of service. Copies of original photos are requested. Deadline is Nov. 1.
The annual Veterans Day ceremony is planned for 11 am on Sunday, Nov. 11. A Candlelight Memorial Walk followed by Taps will take place at 9 pm that evening. Taps will be played nightly at 9 pm.
AV Wall sponsors include Signs and Designs, the City of Palmdale, Lockheed Martin, Hunter Dodge Chrysler Jeep Ram and Green Valley Nursery.
For more information, visit www.AVWALL.org , Facebook @avwalldisplay, or call (661) 524-6408.
ABOUT THE AV WALL
The Antelope Valley's Mobile Vietnam Memorial Wall is a half-scale replica of the Vietnam Veterans Memorial black granite wall on the Washington Mall that was designed by artist Maya Lin. It is affectionately known as The AV Wall, and its caretaker is Point Man Antelope Valley, and organization that works tirelessly to take the Wall throughout Southern California with the mission of educating, inspiring, and healing all who visit the memorial.
It is one of the rarest home-grown memorials of its kind in the nation and represents the Antelope Valley’s commitment to the men and women who served their country.
The six-day display at the Palmdale Amphitheater is staffed completely by volunteers, veterans, local service organizations and others. The volunteers attend an in-depth training so they can provide visitors with the best possible experience during their visit to the wall. Volunteers help look up names in the computer database, assist in locating the names on the wall, and provide information about the wall design and layout.
The AV Wall was designed and fabricated by Signs and Designs, Inc. of Palmdale. From 2005 through 2009, over $100,000 was raised locally to build the wall. It was dedicated at a ceremony at Joe Davies Heritage Airpark at Palmdale Plant 42 on Nov. 13, 2009.
The AV Wall has traveled across Southern California. It has been visited by thousands of men, women and children since its dedication and has provided education, healing and a gathering place for Vietnam Veterans to mourn and remember. A visit to the AV Wall offers a chance to show respect and honor those who lost their lives in Vietnam.