News Release: Volunteers Needed To Read "Wall" Names

29 June 2007

The Vietnam Veterans Memorial Fund has put out a call nationwide for volunteers to help read the 58,256 names inscribed on the Vietnam Veterans Memorial in the days leading up to the 25th anniversary, reported Jan C. Scruggs, founder and president of the Memorial Fund. Nearly 2,000 individuals are needed to help with this project.

From Nov. 7-10, a platform will be erected in front of The Wall, and the names will be read continuously for up to 19 hours a day. Reading will stop during the overnight hours.

“We created The Wall to ensure that we never forget those brave men and women who served their country so ably,” Scruggs said. “By reading the names aloud, we once again remember each individual. On the 25th anniversary of The Wall’s dedication, this seemed especially significant.”

There are two registration deadlines for those interested in reading names. Those who want to read specific names have until Friday, Aug. 17, to send in their requests. Volunteers for general reading have until Friday, Sept. 14 to register. Notification of reading times will be sent to all volunteers by Oct. 1.

Registration materials can be downloaded from the Memorial Fund’s Web site, www.vvmf.org, and either mailed or faxed back. Instructions are included with the forms.

The Reading of the Names will take place at The Wall for 65 hours over a four-day period, beginning with an opening ceremony on Wednesday, Nov. 7, at 3:00 p.m. Volunteers will read names for about eight hours, from 4:00 p.m. to midnight. Every day after that, names will be read from 5 a.m. until midnight.

The Reading of the Names has taken place in Washington, D.C., just three other times in The Wall’s history. The first time was in November 1982, before The Wall was dedicated. That time, the names were read aloud in Washington National Cathedral. For the 10th and 20th anniversaries, the names were read at The Wall. This year marks the 25th anniversary of The Wall.

Established in 1979, the Vietnam Veterans Memorial Fund is the nonprofit organization authorized by Congress to build the Vietnam Veterans Memorial in Washington, D.C. Today, through a series of outreach programs, it is dedicated to preserving the legacy of The Wall, promoting healing, educating about the impact of the Vietnam War and is building the Vietnam Veterans Memorial Center, an underground educational facility, near The Wall.

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