The Vietnam Veterans Memorial Replica Wall, known as The Wall That Heals, will be in Farmington and open to the public July 3-6 near the Narrow Gauge Drive-In on Front Street. Tiffany Wier photo

FARMINGTON — The Wall That Heals, a 375-foot traveling replica of the Vietnam Veterans Memorial in Washington, D.C., will make its only Maine appearance this year July 1-6 in the field near Narrow Gauge Drive-In in Farmington.

American Legion District 4, University of Maine at Farmington and the Farmington community partnered to bring the memorial to Franklin County, according to a news release.

Committee members Brian Ellis, veterans representative for the president’s office at UMF, and Jennifer Kimble with Roderick-Crosby American Legion Post 28 shared more information Monday about how Farmington was chosen, what to expect while the replica is in town and ways community members can help to make the visit a success.

Kimble said she came up with the idea of bringing The Wall That Heals to Farmington.

“I guess it was just really because these are our veterans, they’re getting up there in age,” she said. “We need to celebrate them while they’re here. Get them the welcome home that they didn’t get, that they should have gotten.”

Ellis noted the number of Vietnam War and other veterans in the greater Farmington area. “It will be an opportunity to recognize veterans in general,” he said

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“When we applied we were one of 133 from around the country,” Kimble said. “We were one of 32 that were chosen. They didn’t tell me how many others in Maine applied, but we got chosen because our community came together outside of veterans groups.”

“Jennifer (Kimble) did a good job, had a game plan ahead of time,” Ellis said. “She really showed her commitment to it.”

Organizers said they need to raise $25,000 for the costs of insurance, transportation fees and other expenses. So far, $3,000 has been raised and the goal is to raise the remainder by the end of February, they said.

The memorial is expected to arrive on July 1 with an escort of 100 motorcycles. Kimble hopes people will line the streets downtown once the time is known.

Help needed

Able-bodied volunteers are needed to help with set up on July 2 and take down on July 6, Kimble said. Throughout its stay, upward of 300 volunteers will be needed for a variety of other tasks, she said. Four-hour time slots are being set up but those are flexible, Kimble stated.

“If you are willing to work, we want you,” she said.

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Ellis said water and healthy snacks for volunteers are also needed, as are stakes for the wall and other things that might pop up at the last minute. He is also working with the 100 veterans attending UMF for ways they can help.

Viewing will open on July 3 and continue around the clock through 2 p.m. July 6. A variety of special events are being planned, including music, a Quilt of Valor presentation and programs on Agent Orange and for Gold Star families. Timing for those are still being worked out, Kimble said.

Fireworks are planned as usual for Thursday night, July 3, near the Narrow Gauge Drive-In. Owner John Moore said movies will not be shown that night. One indoor theater will open around 8 p.m. for those who would like to watch the approximately 15-minute fireworks show without the noise.

Moore said it depends on availability of technical people to provide the livestreaming, which would be similar to what is offered for the UMF graduation in May. The theater holds about 75 people, and another could be opened if needed, he said. While Moore is not involved with planning the event, he said, “We are here to help.”

“John (Moore) is a big supporter,” Kimble said. She said the livestream option would be good for those with PTSD or sensory issues.

Kimble said visitors may take rubbings of loved ones’ names and there will be golf carts for people who need them to get from the parking lot to the wall. There is also an opportunity to honor the memory of those who survived the Vietnam War but died afterward, she said. Visit vvmf.org to submit the name and photo of the person. Those from Maine will be part of an exhibit in the mobile education center which comes with the wall, she added.

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According to Vietnam Veterans Memorial Fund website, “Bringing The Wall home to communities throughout our country allows the souls enshrined on the Memorial to exist once more among family and friends in the peace and comfort of familiar surroundings. The traveling exhibit provides thousands of veterans who have been unable to cope with the prospect of facing The Wall to find the strength and courage to do so within their own communities, thus allowing the healing process to begin.” Since its unveiling in 1996, “The Wall That Heals has been displayed at nearly 800 communities throughout the nation.”

“The 53-foot trailer that carries The Wall That Heals transforms to become a mobile Education Center. … (E)xhibits give visitors a better understanding of the legacy of the Vietnam Veterans Memorial and the collection of items left at The Wall,” the website says.

“This is a good opportunity for Farmington,” Ellis said. “It’s during the Fourth of July weekend, which is a prime time for it to be here. John (Moore) has a beautiful background, a somber area for it.”

Donation checks can be mailed to American Legion, PO Box 648, Farmington, ME 04938. For more information or to volunteer time or other donations, email Kimble at legionpost28maine@gmail.com.

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