Contact: Gordon Hickey
(804) 225-4260
www.governor.virginia.gov http://www.vvmf.org
~ Underground facility will house exhibits, memorabilia for men and women named on Vietnam Memorial Wall ~
Virginia Governor Timothy M. Kaine has joined the growing group of prominent Americans who are providing leadership for the creation of the Education Center at The Wall. As the latest addition to the Center’s leadership team,which includes fellow Governor Rick Perry of Texas, Governor Kaine will help drive state participation in the ongoing development of the educational facility being built underground on the National Mall, near the Vietnam Veterans and Lincoln Memorials.
“It’s our privilege and responsibility to honor the sacrifices made by the courageous men and woman of the US armed forces,” Governor Kaine said. “I’m pleased to play a part in honoring the memory of the many Virginians who gave their lives during the Vietnam War.”
As part of the leadership team, Governor Kaine will play a vital role in the grassroots work in Virginia, including assisting the Memorial Fund in gathering the photos of the 1,306 service members from Virginia whose names are inscribed in the black granite of the Memorial. The Education Center will ultimately feature photos for each of the 58,260 individuals whose names are on The Wall.
“We are very pleased to have Governor Kaine join our leadership team,” said Jan C. Scruggs, founder and president of the Vietnam Veterans Memorial Fund, the organization leading the campaign to build the Center. “We feel it is important that our country’s children learn about the sacrifices young people made during the Vietnam War and in all wars. Governor Kaine has worked hard to elevate the standards of excellence in education in Virginia, and we look forward to benefiting from his expertise and participation in our educational efforts.”
Built entirely with private funds—including a lead gift of $10 million from Time Warner—the Education Center at The Wall is a visitors and education facility that will be housed underground on the National Mall in Washington, D.C. Exhibits will include a wall of photographs of those individuals named on The Wall, a selection of the more than 100,000 items that have been left at the Vietnam Veterans Memorial, and a timeline of key military events in the Vietnam War. Part of the Center will illustrate the legacy of service demonstrated by the American people, showing images of those who served in all of America’s conflicts, from the Revolutionary War to Iraq.
