COURTESY OF BROWN DOG CARRIERS
Maine-based transportation and logistics company Brown Dog Carriers is pleased to announce that it will host The Wall That Heals, a three-quarter scale replica of the Vietnam Veterans Memorial, and a mobile Education Center, from July 18-21, 2024. The replica, open 24 hours a day and free to the public, will be located at Biddeford Middle School at 25 Tiger Way. The Wall That Heals honors the more than three million Americans who served in the U.S. Armed Forces in the Vietnam War, and it bears the names of the 58,281 men and women who made the ultimate sacrifice in Vietnam.
“Southern Maine was honored to have The Wall That Heals in the area last September, and I was determined to have it return so that more people could be educated about this important time in our nation’s history,” said Graig Morin, President of Brown Dog Carriers. “We are honored to be able to partner with the Vietnam Veterans Memorial Fund and welcome back The Wall to Maine this summer. The goal of all those involved is to bring together community members, local VSOs, and youth programs to honor and remember all those who served in Vietnam.”
Hosting The Wall in Maine is one of several veteran and military-family-focused programs Brown Dog Carriers support locally and nationwide. Since its inception, Brown Dog Carriers has committed to providing time, talent, and financial resources to make a difference in the lives of their community. The company created “A Helping Paw” to support and give back to its community and neighbors, focusing on organizations that support and honor our nation’s veterans, including Wreaths Across America, Boots 2 Roots, and Canines on the Front Line.
“We are grateful for the tremendous support from the City of Biddeford in helping us organize events supporting these programs,” added Morin. “Our mayor, Martin Grohman, has strongly advocated our efforts from the beginning.”
The 2024 national The Wall That Heals tour is generously sponsored by USAA. The exhibit can travel nationwide through a partnership with the Truckload Carriers Association (TCA), the trucking industry, and Blue Beacon. Local sponsors include the Brown Dog Carriers, the City of Biddeford, Biddeford Schools, and the national nonprofit Wreaths Across America.
Since its debut in 1996, the exhibit has been on display in more than 700 U.S. communities in addition to an April 1999 tour of the Four Provinces of Ireland and a visit to Canada in 2005. The Wall That Heals is a program of the Vietnam Veterans Memorial Fund (VVMF), the nonprofit organization that built the Vietnam Veterans Memorial in Washington, D.C., in 1982. The Wall That Heals is the only traveling exhibit affiliated with The Wall in Washington, D.C. and includes the largest Wall replica that travels the country. Two VVMF staff members lead volunteers on site, educate visitors and students, and ensure the reflective atmosphere of The Wall. More information can be found at www.thewallthatheals.org.
