Vietnam Wall replica coming to Blue Springs

The Wall of Healing, a replica of the Vietnam Veterans National Memorial in Washington, D.C., is scheduled for a Blue Springs visit.
Not for this year, however, but next year.
The dates – from Sept. 30 to Oct. 3, 2010 – are tentative, but a city spokesperson said the dates are almost certain.
“The date is being held for Blue Springs,” Merideth Parrish, city spokesperson, said this week. “It would be the first time it would appear in Blue Springs.”
The replica, half the size as the original, is one of several touring the country. The replica walls have become an emotional magnet for veterans, family and friends of those killed in the war and the plain curious.
Because the traveling replica depends on volunteers, cities and towns that host the memorial have to contribute the majority of the costs associated with its transportation and oversight while it is here – specifically in Pink Hill Park, according to Parrish.
Parrish estimated the city will have to come up with $10,000 to bring the wall to Blue Springs. So far, the city has committed $2,500, while Bank 21 has committed $500. In addition, $1,000 has been committed by Steve Steiner Tents and Audio and $500 from Judy Qualkinbush with JC Hunter Realtors Inc.
To arrange host dates for the memorial, any city has to schedule its arrival and stay a year in advance.
“It’s not as simple as signing up and bringing it to your city next month,” Parrish said. “There’s a lot of planning involved, but the work required is worth it. It would be great for the city.”
In the coming weeks, The Wall that Heals Committee will meet to discuss public relations strategies to get the word out. Parrish, who will chair the committee, said civic groups, business leaders, and regional stakeholders will be contacted to generate support and solicit funding support.
Mayor Carson Ross, who served in Vietnam, wrote a letter to Dan Schenk, program manager for the memorial, confirming next year’s dates, expressing his full support.
“Our city is fully committed to the fulfillment of this project,” Ross wrote.
For more information, call the city at 816-228-0110.