VFW and SPARC to Kick Off Venice Memorial Restoration
Special ceremony to be held April 5
B.J. Lawrence, national junior vice commander-in-chief of the Veterans
of Foreign Wars of the U.S., and several VFW members from local Posts
will join the Social and Public Art Resource Center (SPARC) at a
special ceremony on April 5, to commence the restoration project of
the POW/MIA Vietnam Veterans Memorial in Venice, Calif., and speak out
against memorial desecration.
The Venice memorial was recently vandalized for the second time in the
past year, and restoration efforts will be extensive given the over
2,273 names which appear on the memorial.
Reports of veterans memorials being defaced have been on the rise in
recent years, and the VFW along with SPARC are calling on America to
help preserve and protect these sacred monuments.
"The VFW will not sit idle while the monuments honoring those who've
fought and died for our freedom are blatantly disrespected," said
Lawrence. "I'm pleased to join with SPARC to lay a wreath at this
site, raise awareness of the importance of upholding the integrity of
our memorials, and to offer VFW's support to this restoration
project."
Lawrence went on to note he'll use Wednesday's opportunity to rally
citizens to remain vigilant of these senseless acts, and his hope is
that anyone caught damaging veterans memorials is quickly prosecuted
to the fullest extent of the law.
The restoration project's kick off ceremony will begin at 11:15 a.m.
(PDT) at the POW/MIA Vietnam Veterans Memorial at 614 Pacific Ave.,
Venice, Calif., 90291.
SPARC volunteers will begin the restoration process immediately
following the event, and VFW members will be on hand to provide needed
support.
"SPARC is honored to have the VFW lay a wreath at the site as we begin
the restoration of this beloved memorial. This restoration would not
have been possible without the support of the Venice Chamber of
Commerce, Venice Neighborhood Council, Councilman Mike Bonin and the
community at large," said Debra J.T. Padilla, Executive Director of
SPARC.
The VFW has a long-standing commitment to honoring America's veterans
and service members through memorials. It has championed the creation
of hundreds of local veterans memorials and constantly works in local
communities to maintain them. The organization has also sponsored many
national memorial projects to include: the National WWI Memorial, the
Liberty Memorial Museum, the National WWII Memorial, the Korean War
Memorial, the Vietnam Veterans Memorial, Women in Military Service to
America, the Disabled Veterans for Life Memorial, and the National
Desert Storm Memorial.
The Venice Chamber of Commerce is accepting donations to the POW/MIA
Vietnam Veterans Memorial restoration project at:
http://venicechamber.net/powmiamural.
ABOUT SPARC:
SPARC is a community-based non-profit arts organization founded in
1976 by Distinguished UCLA professor and artist Judy Baca, filmmaker
Donna Deitch, and artist Christina Schlesinger. SPARC is rooted in
Art, Community, Education and Social Justice. For more info visit:
www.SPARCinLA.org .
B.J. Lawrence, national junior vice commander-in-chief of the Veterans
of Foreign Wars of the U.S., and several VFW members from local Posts
will join the Social and Public Art Resource Center (SPARC) at a
special ceremony on April 5, to commence the restoration project of
the POW/MIA Vietnam Veterans Memorial in Venice, Calif., and speak out
against memorial desecration.
The Venice memorial was recently vandalized for the second time in the
past year, and restoration efforts will be extensive given the over
2,273 names which appear on the memorial.
Reports of veterans memorials being defaced have been on the rise in
recent years, and the VFW along with SPARC are calling on America to
help preserve and protect these sacred monuments.
"The VFW will not sit idle while the monuments honoring those who've
fought and died for our freedom are blatantly disrespected," said
Lawrence. "I'm pleased to join with SPARC to lay a wreath at this
site, raise awareness of the importance of upholding the integrity of
our memorials, and to offer VFW's support to this restoration
project."
Lawrence went on to note he'll use Wednesday's opportunity to rally
citizens to remain vigilant of these senseless acts, and his hope is
that anyone caught damaging veterans memorials is quickly prosecuted
to the fullest extent of the law.
The restoration project's kick off ceremony will begin at 11:15 a.m.
(PDT) at the POW/MIA Vietnam Veterans Memorial at 614 Pacific Ave.,
Venice, Calif., 90291.
SPARC volunteers will begin the restoration process immediately
following the event, and VFW members will be on hand to provide needed
support.
"SPARC is honored to have the VFW lay a wreath at the site as we begin
the restoration of this beloved memorial. This restoration would not
have been possible without the support of the Venice Chamber of
Commerce, Venice Neighborhood Council, Councilman Mike Bonin and the
community at large," said Debra J.T. Padilla, Executive Director of
SPARC.
The VFW has a long-standing commitment to honoring America's veterans
and service members through memorials. It has championed the creation
of hundreds of local veterans memorials and constantly works in local
communities to maintain them. The organization has also sponsored many
national memorial projects to include: the National WWI Memorial, the
Liberty Memorial Museum, the National WWII Memorial, the Korean War
Memorial, the Vietnam Veterans Memorial, Women in Military Service to
America, the Disabled Veterans for Life Memorial, and the National
Desert Storm Memorial.
The Venice Chamber of Commerce is accepting donations to the POW/MIA
Vietnam Veterans Memorial restoration project at:
http://venicechamber.net/powmiamural.
ABOUT SPARC:
SPARC is a community-based non-profit arts organization founded in
1976 by Distinguished UCLA professor and artist Judy Baca, filmmaker
Donna Deitch, and artist Christina Schlesinger. SPARC is rooted in
Art, Community, Education and Social Justice. For more info visit:
www.SPARCinLA.org .
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