Traveling memorial to make a stop in Lisle

In Washington, D.C., a grateful nation has numerous memorials to honor and recognize Americans who served their country.

For five days this week, Lisle will share a little in that esteem.

The Ross Bishop VFW Post 5696, together with the Lisle-Woodridge Fire District, the Lisle Police Department, the Lisle Convention and Visitors Bureau and Rolling Thunder Illinois Chapter 1, will host the American Veterans Traveling Tribute from Wednesday to Sunday in downtown Lisle.

It is an opportunity for a community to put political differences aside and come together to remember and honor true heroes.

For only the second time this year, the national traveling exhibit will visit Illinois. The historic event, which will be open 24 hours a day, is expected to draw between 150,000 and 200,000 people, said VFW Post Commander Jerry Neuberg, a Vietnam veteran who served in the Navy aboard the USS Repose hospital ship.

"The event will attract all the people who want to see the Vietnam Wall but have not had a chance to go to Washington to see it, and also the people who have friends and loved ones who are serving or have died in Iraq and Afghanistan," Neuberg said.

"The Wall has no political agenda and is an awesome event to remember our soldiers," said organizer Kitty Murphy, owner of Book Nook News in Lisle.

"People get caught up in their everyday lives, and this is a great reminder that there are people out there fighting for our freedom."

Dedicated to honor, respect and remember all who have served our nation, the exhibit features an 80 percent replica of the Washington Vietnam Memorial. The replica stands 8 feet tall at its apex and runs 370 feet in length.

It has three additional panels to pay tribute to the 9/11 victims and two more panels to remember all military members who have died in hostile action since Vietnam, including Operations Iraqi and Enduring Freedom. The Cost of Freedom tribute and Walk of Heroes are two added exhibits.

Visitors will be able to locate individuals' names among the 58,253 names on the wall using a computer bank set up in a tent on-site.

Starting at 2 p.m. Wednesday, community members are encouraged to line Main Street downtown and wave flags to welcome the American Veterans Traveling Tribute Wall to town.

A procession will begin from the Heritage Harley-Davidson dealership on Ogden Avenue and end at the corner of Main Street and Burlington avenues, where the wall will be assembled on the old village hall site.

"We will have a V-formation of bikes in front along with a police escort and The Wall following," said Steve Pletzke, a Rolling Thunder Illinois Chapter 1 member who is organizing the bikers. "We also have several municipalities sending their police escorts."

Rolling Thunder is a nonprofit group that works for veteran groups and focuses on issues dealing with POWs and MIAs from all wars, Pletzke said.

Thursday's schedule will include an official opening ceremony at 5:30 p.m., with Mayor Joseph Broda leading the Pledge of Allegiance, a welcome by Neuberg and keynote address by State Rep. Jim Meyer, a veteran.

The Lisle Teens With Character will have a blood drive from 8:30 a.m. to 1:30 p.m. Thursday at Lisle-Woodridge Fire Station 1, across the street from the memorial. Appointments are encouraged but not required; call (630) 493-0359. The teens aim to collect a total of 100 pints Thursday and Saturday and need a widespread community response.

Friday's lineup includes a reopening ceremony at 8 a.m.; 10 a.m. and 1 p.m. educational field trips for local school children hosted by the fire and police departments; and at 4 p.m. educational opportunities by Cantigny officials. The information booth will be open from 8 a.m. to 8 p. m.

The 9/11 Memorial Flag Rally conducted by the Lisle Teens With Character will begin at 5:30 p.m. The teens hold a meaningful memorial each year so that the vivid realities of Sept. 11, 2001, will not be forgotten.

This year's service will include the police and fire districts laying wreaths and the fire district bagpipers. The keynote speaker will be David Beamer, father of Todd Beamer, who lost his life aboard Flight 93 on Sept. 11.

On Saturday, the opening ceremony will be at 8 a.m. and the information booth is open from 8 a.m. to 8 p.m. The Lisle Teens With Character sponsors its annual car wash from 8 a.m. to 1 p.m. and the Heartland Blood Center Mobile for blood donations from 8:30 a.m. to 3:30 p.m.

At 3 p.m., the Rolling Thunder group will join other bike clubs for a symbolic and moving memorial service that highlights all five branches of military service.

"A lot of our clubs are made up of police officers and firefighters," Pletzke said.

At 3:30 p.m., Lisle Teens With Character sponsors a charity concert in Community Park to raise money for local military families.

At 4 p.m., the VFW ceremony will focus on all U.S. Armed Forces with keynote speaker Paul Herbert discussing military history. At 5 p.m., Lisle Junior High Band and School Choir will conclude the afternoon's formal ceremonies.

A candlelight vigil will begin at 7:30 p.m. under the direction of the Operation Support Our Troops volunteers. There will be a special reading of each of the approved 4,088 names of military men and women who have died in Iraq and Afghanistan.

It will take approximately four hours to read all the names, Neuberg said. There also will be opportunities for the public to send a note to current service personnel and to speak to representatives of the organization.

The final day, Sunday, is a time for reflection. The public viewing will begin at 8 a.m. and continue to the closing ceremonies at 5:30 p.m.

For five days, Lisle and its visitors will grasp the enormous sacrifice made and being made for freedom. Come to say "thank-you."