The American Veterans Traveling Tribute/Vietnam Traveling Wall is coming to the campus of Youngstown State University, Thurs., May 15 through Sun., May 18.
      The 360-foot long Wall, an 80-percent scale version of the Vietnam Memorial Wall in Washington, D.C., will be open for viewing around the clock in the M22 parking lot on Wood Street on the YSU campus.
      Free parking is available in the M3 parking lot on West Rayen Avenue. Handicap parking will be available near the wall on Wood Street.
      The event is presented by the YSU Office of Veterans Affairs, with the support and sponsorship of the Mahoning County Veterans Service Commission and The Home Depot of Boardman.
      Among the ceremonies that will be held in conjunction with the Traveling Wall’s presence on campus:
       •Wednesday, May 14, approximately 4:30 p.m., welcome ceremony.
       •Thursday, May 15, opening ceremony, 2 p.m.
       •Saturday, May 17, 8 p.m., candlelight vigil.
       •Sunday, May 18, noon, closing ceremony.
      In addition, at 10 a.m. Fri., May 16, at the site of the Traveling Wall, YSU will hold its annual Reading of the Names Ceremony, remembering YSU employees and students who died while on active military duty. YSU’s annual Armed Forces Appreciation Luncheon will follow in the Chestnut Room of Kilcawley Center on the YSU campus.
      The Traveling Wall was completed in 1998 and began traveling that year. AVTT’s Traveling Wall is the largest wall replica traveling the United States and is not to be confused with several other replica walls – The Moving Wall, The Dignity Wall or the Wall That Heals.
      The mission of the AVTT/Vietnam Traveling Wall is to travel the nation to honor, respect and remember men and women who served, and to pay specific tribute to those who gave all in that service.
      Since the tribute is mobile, it allows people to honor and respect veterans and active military personnel without having to travel great distances to do so.
      AVTT is a veteran’s-owned project. It is not government sponsored or affiliated, but funded through sponsorship fees, donations and sale of merchandise at events. AVTT is contracted by The Texas Freedom Tribute, an IRS designated 501 C3, to provide The Wall, crew and expertise.
      Donations or support to AVTT’s mission are qualified charitable tax deductions. For more information or to schedule an AVTT event, visit www.avtt.org or e-mail Leah@avtt.org.