Mint Eco Car Wash Volunteers with traveling vietnam memorial wall and 9/11 tribute memorial

The Traveling Vietnam Wall Memorial began in 1985 as a way for veterans to reconnect and visit their loved ones.

Mint Eco Car Wash was proud to send three volunteers from their staff to help build the Traveling Vietnam Wall Memorial on Wednesday afternoon. Our volunteers got the chance to talk directly with veterans, as well as active members of the military, and learned about their stories and how they have impacted our nation’s history.

The Traveling Vietnam Wall Memorial serves as a tribute and a reminder to the great sacrifices made by the brave soldiers during the Vietnam War. The Traveling Wall, built at a 3/5 scale of the original Vietnam Wall Memorial in Washington D.C, was built to be easily transported from state to state to help heal and rekindle friendships of veterans and affected families. The wall also serves as an opportunity for families to visit and pay respect to their lost loved ones in their hometown, as they may not be able to make the trip to Washington D.C.

The Vietnam Wall exhibit is also accompanied by a 9/11 Tribute Wall. This wall includes the lives lost in the Twin Towers, the Pentagon, and Flight 93, as well as the lives lost in the conflicts that followed. The 9/11 Tribute Wall includes displays of firefighter uniforms and a helmet worn by a first responder who lost their life in one of the Twin Towers, as well as a rifle, dog tags, boots, and a desert camo helmet to represent the conflicts in the Middle East. The walls are also accompanied by several vehicles used by the military, including helicopters, tanks, and trucks. The exhibit is family friendly, and a great educational opportunity for residents of all ages who may not have grown up with an in-depth knowledge of the events that occurred on 9/11.

The Traveling Walls are displayed in tandem with the National American Gold Star Mothers Convention at the Hilton Hotel located on 150 Australian Avenue in West Palm Beach, Florida. The American Gold Star Mothers Inc. is a nationally recognized organization that brings together mothers who have lost their children in military service. They not only honor their children who served, but they also assist veterans in their communities. Their national convention serves as a time to elect new officers as well as gather mothers from across the country to reconnect with each other.

 Both walls will be guarded 24 hours a day by local volunteers to protect the wall and be there for anyone that wants to observe privately. Local volunteers will also be available with directories to help locate names on both walls. The National American Gold Star Mothers Convention is not open to the public, but the memorial is open to the public at the Hilton Hotel located by Palm Beach International Airport, starting Thursday, June 23rd, 2022 through Sunday, June 26th, 2022. We are so grateful to have helped put together something that is so meaningful and important to our nation, and hope you had the chance to experience it for yourself this weekend!

For more information about the Traveling Wall, visit: www.travelingwall.us.

For more information about the American Gold Star Mothers, visit: americangoldstarmothers.org.