The Wall that Heals is coming to the Colonial School District.
The Wall that Heals visits William Penn High School in New Castle later this month.
William Penn math teacher Nora Hutchinson spearheaded bringing The Wall to Delaware.
She says it is the only traveling exhibit affiliated with the Vietnam Veterans Memorial in Washington, D.C.
“It’s a program sponsored by the Vietnam Veterans Memorial Fund. It’s a ¾-size replica of the Vietnam Veterans Memorial Wall in D.C., " said Hutchinson. "But it really is so much more than just a wall, it’s an entire educational experience. There are artifacts from The Walls, there’s photos of Hometown Heroes, there’s maps, timelines - so much more than just the Wall of the 58,000 names.”
Hutchinson adds that she wanted to bring the Wall to the Colonial School District, to honor all vets, including her father-in-law - Mark Hutchinson - who died in 2013 as a result of being exposed to Agent Orange.
“It started as a personal journey for me to honor a loved one," Hutchinson said. "My father-in-law was a Vietnam Vet and I pursued a program sponsored by the Vietnam Veterans Memorial Fund called the “In Memory Program.”
Delaware State Police and military veteran motorcyclists will escort The Wall to William Penn on Tuesday April 26, 2022 and it will be open to the public and on display from April 28, 2022 until May 1, 2022, 24-hours a day, with free admission.
A a ceremony on Thursday, April 28, 2022, officials will present “A Chair of Honor” in memory of William Penn alum - Major General Carol Timmons, the first female General in Delaware National Guard history who died in August 2020.
That formal touching ceremony on April, 28, 2022, will also include a student Honor Guard, remarks by a Prisoner of War (POW), and the names of all fallen Delaware Vietnam veterans will be read aloud during the ceremony.
A candlelight ceremony is planned on Saturday, April 30, at 8 p.m.
Hutchinson is looking for volunteers to help during the Wall that Heals' visit. She can me reached at nora.hutchinson@colonial.k12.de.us.
