Traveling Vietnam Wall coming to Des Plaines in 2017
It's a big week for Des Plaines VFW Post 2992.
Post members started the week by raising the Marine Corps flag on a City Hall flagpole, planning to fly the other military service branch flags throughout the month.
On Monday night, they were presented with state House and Senate proclamations for being selected as an All American Post by the VFW - the first time in the Des Plaines post's 82-year history.
But perhaps the biggest news, post leaders said, is word that Des Plaines was chosen as a site for the replica traveling Vietnam Veterans Memorial Wall next summer.
The Wall That Heals, a half-scale replica of the one in Washington, D.C., and its accompanying mobile museum will be displayed Sept. 28-Oct. 1 at Lake Park on Des Plaines' south side.
The Vietnam Veterans Memorial Fund, the organization that sets up the 250-foot-long replica wall, charges $7,500 to local groups as a fee. Des Plaines' VFW post is well on its way to its fundraising goal after post officials were surprised with a $5,000 check from Rivers Casino in August on "Windy City Live," the local daytime talk show on ABC 7 Chicago.
Still to come this week is the annual Veterans Day ceremony 2 p.m. Friday at Prairie Lakes Theater.
And on Sunday, post members will help honor veterans and current military members at Christ Church's 9:30 a.m. service at 1492 Henry Ave. The church's Spirit of Life concert honoring veterans is scheduled for 4 p.m.