Wall That Heals replica set for Laredo April 2–6; organizers seek volunteers and overnight coverage

A traveling replica of the Vietnam Veterans Memorial, known as the Wall That Heals, will be on display in Laredo the week of April 2–6 at the Unit Trade Stadium area, city and event organizers told the Laredo Veterans Advisory Committee on March 11.

The display will arrive April 1 and will be open 24 hours beginning when it is set up, with a 2 p.m. cutoff on Sunday, April 6 for the final take-down, organizers said. The exhibit includes opportunities to scribe names, take guided tours and attend scheduled ceremonies such as a Coming Home ceremony and an Agent Orange candlelight ceremony.

Nora May, Parks Department staff for the City of Laredo, asked the committee to help recruit volunteers and described the event as both “for the veterans” and “an open community event for everybody.” Analisa Perez Gomez, an event representative, said the group is offering guided tours and gave a Laredo Public Library contact for scheduling: “Our contact person is Jackie Flores, and our phone number is (956) 795-2400,” she said.

Organizers said volunteer needs include setup and takedown crews, people to help with the panels and heavier stones, overnight coverage to watch the wall, and volunteers to lead tours. Committee members were told about current sign-up counts and the staffing gap: organizers said roughly 30 volunteers had signed up overall, while for the on-site construction they had about 12 people confirmed but estimated they would need roughly 80 people to handle the work and heavy pieces safely.

Shift details and registration: event shifts are organized in roughly three-hour blocks and can be combined or repeated by volunteers. The event uses Eventbrite for sign-ups; organizers cautioned that the site’s “ticket” button is for registration only, not a paid ticket purchase. They also said there are about 100 volunteer slots listed across shifts and roles on the registration page.

Security and logistics: organizers said there will be no police-provided overnight security and therefore asked for at least two to three volunteers per night to stay with the wall. They described a mostly manual setup controlled by the Wall That Heals organization; heavy stones vary in size and some require two or more people to carry. The event will provide gators (small utility vehicles) to assist, but the exhibit organization sets the handling procedures.

Ancillary events and access: the committee was told the wall will provide an informational booth to help visitors locate names on the panels, and that scribing (name rubbing) will be accommodated similarly to the Washington memorial setup. Organizers also said they are trying to add a small element recognizing veterans who died after the Vietnam War and will accept names if submitted promptly so they can be reviewed and, if possible, included.

Transportation and procession: the wall trailer will be escorted into Laredo on April 1 by a motorcycle procession that will meet at Harley-Davidson of Laredo at 11 a.m., hold an invocation and briefing at 11:45 a.m., and depart at noon, organizers said. The escorted route will pass approximately 12 schools that have been notified so students can line streets with flags.

How to sign up: organizers directed volunteers and groups to the City of Laredo website and Eventbrite registration (search “Wall That Heals Laredo”) and provided the Laredo Public Library phone number for tour requests. Norma May, co-chair for the Wall That Heals local committee, and Tiara Ramos from Community Development were listed as additional contacts for volunteer coordination.

The exhibit schedule, volunteer needs and safety arrangements were presented during the committee’s communications section; no formal committee action was taken on the item during the meeting.