Moving Wall exhibit deserves support of area residents

Bartholomew County residents will have an opportunity to participate in a close-to-home history experience when the Moving Wall exhibit, a half-sized replica of the Vietnam Veterans Memorial in Washington, D.C., comes to Columbus July 27-31.

The wall, which was last in Columbus in 2002 at the Columbus Municipal Airport, will travel a 12.5-mile route through Columbus on its way to the Bartholomew County 4-H Fairgrounds. There it will be on display for free to the public 24 hours a day for five days.

This exhibit presents a way for residents to keep fallen and aging veterans from that war in their thoughts and prayers.

Other elements of the exhibit will include featured speakers, a Huey helicopter that served in Vietnam and a 40-foot obstacle course for the public.

American Legion Post 24 in Columbus has taken the lead on this impressive and emotionally moving project, which has required raising $64,000 to bring the exhibit here. About half the cost has been committed through in-kind donations, and about $20,000 in cash pledges had been made by late June. Donations will be accepted while the Moving Wall is on display.

It wasn’t that long ago that American Legion Post 24 itself was struggling to survive. Now it is paying forward support shown to it with projects such as the Moving Wall.

The post deserves the full support of Bartholomew County residents and businesses in this project, and locals should take advantage of the chance to see the exhibit and learn more about an important time in United States history.