By LOIS KINDLE
Mark your calendars now for the incredible experience of viewing the American Veterans Traveling Tribute, an 80%-scale replica of the Vietnam Veterans Memorial in Washington, D.C. The public exhibition also features a special 911 memorial and individual tributes to all U.S. involved wars, conflicts and terrorist attacks since World War I.
It’s coming to Freedom Plaza, Oct. 31 to Nov. 3, and will be stationed on its grounds at Golf View Terrace, 819 Freedom Plaza Circle, Sun City Center, and can be viewed from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. A one-hour opening ceremony will take place at 10 a.m., Oct. 31. All South Shore residents are invited, and admission is free.
In addition to the scaled Vietnam Veterans Memorial, the exhibition includes individual Cost of Freedom Tributes, including 911 and all U.S. involved wars, conflicts and terrorist attacks since World War I.
The 360-foot-long, six-foot-tall replica wall will arrive in sections on a semi Oct. 29 and be taken via escorted processional at 10 a.m. the next day from the Sun City Center Community Association south campus to Freedom Plaza via State Road 674. It will then be assembled for exhibition. Local veterans organizations and other groups are expected to take part in the processional.
Kim Haberkorn, executive director of Freedom Plaza Assisted Living, initiated the idea of bringing the American Veterans Traveling Tribute to Freedom Plaza and then worked closely with Clifton Pease, manager of the Chapters Health System Valor Services Program to make it happen.
LifePath Hospice in Sun City Center/Ruskin is a Chapters Health System location.
The Valor Services Program honors Veterans and first responders cared for within the Chapters Health System and throughout the community.
“This will be the fourth time Chapters Health has worked with the American Veterans Traveling Tribute to bring the memorial to Florida,” Pease said. “Other sites included Tampa in 2022, Florida Keys in 2023 and Ft. Myers last April. Each move costs between $20,000 and $30,000.”
Freedom Plaza is hosting the exhibition, and its Retired Officers Corp., which supports veterans-related programs and causes, has donated $15,000 as a major sponsor.
A man finds the name of a family member among the 58,307 service members who were lost in combat during the Vietnam War
“Sun City Center and Freedom Plaza are very Veteran-oriented communities,” said Corena Fristad, ROC president and COO. “Eighty percent of the residents in Freedom Plaza [alone] are connected to the military in some way,” adding that it was a natural fit for Freedom Plaza and ROC to be involved.
“It’s a big deal for Freedom Plaza to host this,” said Connie Lesko, business development coordinator for ROC. “And we are proud to do it.”
AVTT PHOTOS
The American Veterans Traveling Tribute is bringing a 360-foot, six-foot-high, 80%-scale replica of the Vietnam Veterans Memorial in Washington, D.C., to Freedom Plaza, Sun City Center, to be viewed by the public Oct. 31 to Nov. 3. Admission is free.
The purpose of the exhibition is to honor, respect and remember those who’ve paid the ultimate sacrifice in service to the nation and to educate current and future American generations about the country’s past.
The American Veterans Traveling Tribute is a veteran-owned and -operated nonprofit organization that manages the traveling Vietnam Veterans Memorial and Cost of Freedom Tributes.