The Vietnam Moving Wall will be in Natick, Massachusetts from June 9 - 12, 2011.
Visit our website www.movingwallnatick.org

Sunday, June 12, 2011

Closing ceremony is today


The Moving Wall closing ceremony is today at 6pm. Come hear the Johnson Elementary School Peacemakers, Chief Caring Hands from the Natick Praying Indians and more. And, see the wall before it leaves Natick: www.movingwallnatick.org

Friday, June 10, 2011

New pictures of the Moving Wall in Natick


New pictures of the Moving Wall's visit are on www.movingwallnatick.org.

If you would like to contribute pictures to the site, please send them to us via the Contact page. We will credit all pictures you contribute ©your name.

Thanks.

Thursday, June 9, 2011

Opening Ceremonies Weather Advisory

5:15 PM update: Because of the weather, the opening ceremony will be held at the Healy Auditorium at Natick High School to ensure safety for visitors and volunteers.

Moving Wall in Natick starting tonight


The Vietnam Moving Wall will be in Natick Massachusetts starting this evening, through June 12th.

Please visit http://www.movingwallnatick.org for more information.

The schedule of events can be viewed at http://www.movingwallnatick.org/schedule.html.

Please come visit. It'll be open 24 hours a day while it's here.

Tuesday, June 7, 2011

Monday, June 6, 2011

Moving Wall parking

Parking information for the Moving Wall is available here:


General info is available here:


Sunday, May 29, 2011

Friday, May 27, 2011

Town searching for family of Natick's fallen

The Moving Wall, which came to Waltham in 2005, will be arriving in Natick in June.
By Ian B. Murphy/Daily News staff
The MetroWest Daily News
May 27, 2011

NATICK - Organizers for the Moving Wall's visit to town next month are still searching for relatives of three Natick residents killed in action in Vietnam to take part in the ceremony honoring 11 fallen men.

The town wants to invite relatives of Army Staff Sgt. Dennis Poteat, Air Force Lt. Roger Brown and Navy Chief Eldon Tozer to be a part of a ceremony Thursday, June 9, with loved ones of other residents killed in the war.

"It's a wonderful opportunity for family members of these sons of Natick to be acknowledged and to hear the gratitude of the community for the sacrifice for these soldiers, sailors and airmen," said Josh Ostroff, a selectman helping with the search.

Marty Grady, the Moving Wall committee member leading the search, said none of the three soldiers was originally from Natick. They either lived in town during their enlistment or called the town home at the time of their death.

Grady said the town does have a few leads.

Originally from Marion, N.C., Poteat was working at Natick Labs when he agreed to go back to Vietnam for another tour of duty. He may have been married to a woman named Brenda.

Brown was originally from Wayland, graduated from Wayland High School in 1963 and lived at 21 Davelin Road in Wayland. His father's name was Warren.

Tozer came from Cullen's Brook, Quebec, and had four children: Janet, Donna, David and Gwendyl.

Grady and Ostroff said the town has had contact with a few relatives, but none could come to the wreath ceremony or put the town in touch with other family.

"We want to present a wreath to each one of these families," Grady said. "We'd like to have someone there from the family, but if we can't find anyone, we'll find a friend or someone else. But we need to know. We don't want anyone to feel as if they've been left out because we didn't notify them.

"We need any contacts at all, no matter how far-fetched it is.

Anyone with leads for the searchers should go to movingwallnatick.org for contact information for Moving Wall committee members.

During the opening ceremony, the town hopes to pair a service member from the same branch with the family member or friend of each soldier, sailor or airman killed in Vietnam.

The family of Lt. Allen Loane of the Marine Corps can't come to the event, so friends of Loane's from the Natick High Class of 1959 will receive the wreath.

The other seven Natick residents killed in Vietnam were Lt. Arthur Wright III, Marine Corps; Seaman Thomas Donovan, Navy; Lance Cpl. Dennis Higgins, Marine Corps; Cpl. Keith Flumere, Marine Corps; Pvt. John Madden Jr., Army; Spc. Kevin Lynch, Army; and Cpl. Richard Rinehart, Army.

The Moving Wall was built in 1984, two years after the original memorial opened in Washington, D.C. The half-sized replica has all the names that are inscribed on the original wall, and it is set up to mimic the east-west orientation of the Vietnam Veterans Memorial.

Natick's Veterans Service Council has worked toward bringing the Moving Wall to town since September 2009. It will be placed on the high school soccer fields on West Street.

The opening ceremony is scheduled for 6 p.m. Thursday, June 9, and the wall will be open to the public 24 hours a day until the afternoon of June 12. Dozens of volunteers have created an audio recording of the names of each person on the wall, which will be played on a loop.

This will be the last time the Moving Wall will be in Massachusetts this year.

Volunteers have been raising money and coordinating the effort since the dates were confirmed.

"It's really great that the whole town of Natick is behind this," Grady said. "I just can't say enough about the committee, and a lot of them non-veterans. Without them, we couldn't do it."

Monday, February 28, 2011

Natick Reads Explores Vietnam


"March is Natick Reads month. This year's theme is Natick Reads Explores Vietnam in recognition of the arrival of the Moving Wall in Natick on June 9. Complete information is at http://bit.ly/i974eg

Natick Reads is a collaboration of the Morse Institute and the Bacon Free Libraries and is supported by the Friends of the Morse Institute and the Friends of the Bacon Free Library."

Friday, February 25, 2011

Marathon spots still available from Natick

By Ian B. Murphy/Daily News staff

Posted Feb 25, 2011

NATICK - The town is still searching for runners interested in a number for the Boston Marathon who are willing to raise $2,500 for local charities.


Natick has five runner bibs left, which officials say is surprising after registration for the race sold out in record time last fall.


"We're really surprised that these haven't gone faster, because especially this year, the right to have a number to run, it is a hot commodity," Town Administrator Martha White said. "People should contact us as soon as possible so they'll have the best opportunity to train, and if they're interested they can get one of these few remaining permits."


White said the town's late jump on offering the bibs is likely behind the lagging interest. Natick finalized its plan to distribute the bibs in mid-January.


"It was a lot of pieces to put together in a tight time frame," White said.


The town was one of four along the race route to receive 20 bibs from the sponsor, the Boston Athletic Association, along with Framingham, Ashland and Wellesley. The sponsor previously gave bibs directly to fire and police departments along the route, but this year they were distributed to town managers and administrators.


Natick divided its permits between its fire and police departments and then made eight available for charity runners willing to give a minimum donation of $2,500 to either Moving Wall Natick or the Healthy Pantry Initiative.


The former will bring a replica of the Vietnam Veterans Memorial in Washington, D.C., to the Natick High soccer field on West Street from June 9 to June 12.


The latter is a collaboration between the Natick Service Council and Natick Community Organic Farm.


In Ashland, the town worked with a resident to distribute the 20 bibs to active runners. Runners will donate at least $2,500 to special town programs and social services, according to the town's website. In Framingham, the town split bibs among the fire and police departments, and then each of the five selectmen and the town manager gave bibs to runners raising money for local charities.


Wellesley gave four bibs to Children's Hospital in Boston and six to town employees interested in running. It opened the remaining 10 to the public, seeking $2,500 in donations for the Fund for Wellesley, a local charity that offers grants and funds programs for the community.


Chris Ketchen, deputy director of general government, said Wellesley set its program in motion in early January. It had one permit left after a runner dropped out and is concerned about the time left for potential runners to train.


"Running the Marathon is big commitment, in terms of the training that's involved," Ketchen said. "Next year, we'll have enough lead time to get the word out faster."


http://www.metrowestdailynews.com/news/x945638626/Marathon-spots-still-available-from-Natick#axzz1EyYAASuZ


(Ian B. Murphy can be reached at 508-626-3964 or imurphy@cnc.com.)

Wednesday, February 9, 2011

Boston Marathon Numbers Available in Natick!

Boston Marathon Numbers Available in Natick!
Town Seeks Local Runners to Raise Funds for Two Natick Charities

UPDATED FEBRUARY 8, 2011
Due to an insufficient number of applications, the Town of Natick is extending the deadline for submission of Letters of Interest from prospective runners. Applications will be accepted on a first-come-first-served basis.

The Town has been provided 20 “invitational” applications by the Boston Athletic Association (“BAA”) and is pleased to offer local residents and charity runners with an opportunity to compete in the 115th Boston Marathon® on April 18, 2011. These invitational entries will allow Natick to raise funds for worthy community causes.

On Monday, January 10th, the Natick Board of Selectmen endorsed Town Administrator Martha White’s proposal to issue several of the permits to members of the Natick Police Department who run the Boston Marathon®, issue 5-6 of the permits to the Natick Fire Department to be donated to The Michael Carter Lisnow Respite Center in Hopkinton – an organization long supported by Natick Firefighters, and the balance of Natick’s invitational entries being used to support the following causes:

Bringing the Vietnam Veterans’ Memorial Moving Wall™ to Natick this summer www.movingwallnatick.org
The Healthy Pantry Initiative, a collaboration between the Natick Community Organic Farm www.natickfarm.org and the Natick Service Council www.natickservicecouncil.org
Both of these charities will enable runners to raise tax-deductible donations and the Town of Natick will work with the selected runners to enable the processing of online (credit card) donations.

Details:

The Marathon entry fee is $300, to be paid by the runner
The minimum fundraising contribution is $2,500. Runners must guarantee this minimum fundraising level with a credit card but, of course, higher fundraising levels are encouraged.
All prospective runners must submit a Letter of Interest. Letters will be accepted on a first-come-first-served basis, so to guarantee an entry, get your Letter of Interest in as soon as possible. Letters may be hand delivered to the Town Administrator’s office in Natick Town Hall, 2nd floor or submitted by email to Maureen Fleming at mfleming@natickma.org.

Letters of interest must include the runner’s name, address and phone number, designation of the charity for which funds will be raised, and indication of the amount of funds you commit to raising for the charity.

The Town Administrator’s office can be reached at 508-647-6410.

Tuesday, February 1, 2011

Monday, January 31, 2011

Sunday, January 30, 2011

Boston Marathon Numbers Available in Natick!

Boston Marathon Numbers Available in Natick!

Town Seeks Local Runners to Raise Funds for Two Natick Charities

January 25, 2011


The Town of Natick is pleased to offer local residents and charity runners with an opportunity to compete in the 115th Boston Marathon® on April 18, 2011. This year, the Boston Athletic Association (“BAA”) released 20 “invitational” applications to the towns along the Boston Marathon route, as a thank you for the coordination and cooperation of these communities during the Boston Marathon®. These invitational entries will allow towns along the route to raise funds for worthy community causes. These numbers are highly coveted by those who wish to run as it is limited to a certain number of runners and sold out at a record pace this year.


On Monday, January 10th, the Natick Board of Selectmen endorsed Town Administrator Martha White’s proposal to issue several of the permits to members of the Natick Police Department who run the Boston Marathon®, issue 5-6 of the permits to the Natick Fire Department to be donated to The Michael Carter Lisnow Respite Center in Hopkinton – an organization long supported by Natick Firefighters, and the balance of Natick’s invitational entries being used to support the following causes:


- Bringing the Vietnam Veterans’ Memorial Moving Wall™ to Natick this summer www.movingwallnatick.org

- The Healthy Pantry Initiative, a collaboration between the Natick Community Organic Farm www.natickfarm.org and the Natick Service Council www.natickservicecouncil.org


Both of these charities will enable runners to raise tax-deductible donations and the Town of Natick will

work with the selected runners to enable the processing of online (credit card) donations. Details:


- The Marathon entry fee is $300, to be paid by the runner

- The minimum fundraising contribution is $2,500. Runners must guarantee this minimum fundraising level with a credit card.

- All prospective runners must submit a letter of interest no later than 5:00 pm on February 4, 2011. Letters may be hand delivered to the Town Administrator’s office in Natick Town Hall, 2nd floor or submitted by email to Maureen Fleming at mfleming@natickma.org. Letters of interest must include the runner’s name, address and phone number, designation of the charity for which funds will be raised, and indication of the amount of funds you commit to raising for the charity.

- The first five invitational entries will be made available to those runners who guarantee raising the highest total dollar amount for either/both designated charities. So, to guarantee entry into the race, you must include in your letter of interest a dollar figure at, or above, the minimum

$2,500 and be among the five highest bidding fundraisers. You will receive an invitational entry

and will be required to sign a letter of commitment to achieving your bid level of fundraising.

- The remaining invitational entry winners (anticipated to be five or more) will be restricted to

Natick residents and will be determined by lottery. The lottery will be conducted on Monday February 7 at 5:30 p.m. at the Natick Town Hall. Entrants are invited to attend the lottery and winners will be notified after the drawing. In the unlikely event that there is an insufficient number of Natick residents entered in the lottery, the Town Administrator reserves the right to make alternative arrangements.


If you have an interest in seeking an invitational number to the 115th Boston Marathon, please submit your letter of interest to the Town Administrator’s office, Natick Town Hall, or mfleming@natickma.org by no later than Friday, February 4, 2011 by 5:00 p.m. The Town Administrator’s office can be reached at 508-647-6410.

Friday, January 28, 2011

It’s official!

Check out the January 27th post of the Natick Blog, A blog about all things Natick:


"It’s official: Moving Wall comes to Natick" by Maureen Sullivan

Thursday, January 27, 2011

The Moving Wall will be in Natick from June 9 - 12, 2011

The Vietnam Moving Wall will be in Natick, Massachusetts from June 9 - 12, 2011, at the Natick High School soccer field on West Street, just beyond the football field on the same side of the street.

The opening ceremonies will be on June 9th. Details about the opening, and closing on June 12th, will be announced soon. More info will be posted after Feb 9, 2011. Please check our website, facebook page, or here after then.