- In this video, the AV Wall arrives in Rosamond for the first time and will be at Westpark Elementary until Sunday.
- The Mobile Vietnam Memorial will be available for viewing 24 hours a day. There will be a candlelight vigil on Friday and a Veterans Day ceremony on Saturday.
BROADCAST TRANSCRIPT:
It’s a time for remembrance in Rosamond, a chance to honor Vietnam veterans in the Antelope Valley. This Veterans Day, the Mobile Vietnam Memorial will be set up in Rosamond.
“That was amazing! Having the cadet corps there, and the students and the staff to salute, to wave … the saluting of the cadet corps was highly emotional," said Stacia Nemeth, treasurer and volunteer coordinator for the Mobile Vietnam Memorial Wall.
Escorted by bikers and city staff, the AV Wall made its way through Rosamond, arriving at Westpark Elementary, where it will be until Sunday.
It’s the first time the a-v wall is in Rosamond.
There are over 58,000 names of the casualties on the wall, 76 from the antelope valley and three are from Rosamond.
“It is a very emotional experience to know that you’re bringing something to a community for the first time. And, the community of Rosamond rallied for this. They worked so hard for this and we are so grateful to them. They pulled together," Nemeth said.
The Southern Kern Unified School District took the lead in organizing the event.
The Rosamond Municipal Advisory Council and the Rosamond Chamber of Commerce also helped out and many in the community supported the efforts.
More than $19,000 was raised, SKUD Superintendent Barbara Gaines said the money is needed for things such as security and the events that take place during the week.
“This week is monumental for Rosamond and the school district and the entire community," Gaines said.
Gaines says among the purposes of the AV Wall is to educate students and the community about the Vietnam War. Volunteers received mandatory training, which included proper education of the information.
“Anytime we get the opportunity to just say thank you, just show appreciation, I think we undoubtedly must do that as citizens of this country because that was a dreadful, dreadful war to fight in, Gaines said. "We’re just honored and thrilled to be able to host it this year.”
The memorial is open 24 hours a day. And field trips are set up for students from schools in the area on Wednesday and Thursday.
There will be a candlelight vigil on Friday night.
A special Veterans Day ceremony will be on Saturday at 11 a.m.
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