LISBON — The GoldStars Tribute Wall, a memorial honoring military personnel who lost their lives in the Gulf, Iraq and Afghanistan wars over the plast 30 years, will be open to public viewing at the Worumbo Riverfront Event Center this weekend.

The main goals of the tribute wall are to keep the memory of the fallen soldiers and the conflicts they participated in alive, educate the public about the cost of freedom, and show Gold Star families that their loved one’s sacrifice was not in vain, according to Samuel Nicoara of Atlanta, the founder and president of Tribute to America’s Fallen Foundation.

“To them, it’s a tragic reality every day,” he said. “They go to sleep at night (and) wake up in the morning thinking of their lost child. This helps heal wounds none of us would understand because we’ve never gone through that.”

The tribute wall was brought to Lisbon by the Patriot Riders Maine Chapter 4 based in Augusta. The group took over the project after a different organization was unable to see it through.

In less than two weeks, Chapter President Brandt McCollett and his group were able to organize the installation and raise more than $15,000 through sponsorships, most from local organizations. The funds will go toward expenses for the installation of the tribute wall, providing food for Gold Star families and the Tribute to America’s Fallen Foundation.

“We want to make sure that these men and women who gave the ultimate sacrifice aren’t forgotten, and we can keep their legacy alive by memorializing them at different events,” McCollett said.

Friday at noon, the Patriot Riders Maine Chapter 4 and the Lisbon Police Department provided an escort for the tribute wall from Topsham to Lisbon Falls. Volunteers helped Nicoara set up the 16-panel display later that day.

Nicoara himself was a Marine who served in the Gulf War. For the last nine years, he and his wife have used their time off from work to bring the GoldStars Tribute Wall around the country for viewings.

“If it’s not directly affecting us … it doesn’t hit home,” he said.

Nicoara hopes that visitors walk away with a better understanding of the price of freedom and those who sacrificed their lives to defend it.

The tribute wall will be installed in 11 locations this year, he said. Last year, it was installed in Augusta.

The opening ceremony will be held at 9 a.m. Saturday. The tribute wall is open for viewing until 10 p.m. Saturday and until midafternoon Sunday.

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