Machesney Park supports successful Vietnam Era Veteran Recognition event

Courtesy photo The Journal
800 people participated in the recognition event for Vietnam era Veterans.

The Vets Roll organization sponsored a Vietnam Era Veterans Recognition Program on Sunday, Sept. 8, at 4 p.m. at the beautiful Eclipse Center in Beloit. The organization reached out to the Greater Stateline area, from Machesney Park into much of Rock County. No Veteran was denied a recognition medallion based on their residency and families were encouraged to accept on behalf of a deceased (or absent) Veteran. Machesney Park was pleased to support this exciting event.
VetsRoll also arranged to have the beautiful Wisconsin Veterans Museum Vietnam Wall on display that day, plus this came on the tail end of our VetsRoll Reunion at the Eclipse Center, from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m., also held on Sept. 8. As that hugely popular event wound down, we transitioned from banquet style to theater style seating, for as many as 800 people for the event.
This event was indoors, so rain or shine did not affect it and there were no Packer and Bears games that day.
It was free and open to the general public and we invited each of you to join us that day as we finally began the healing chapter for our Vietnam Era Veterans. For more information, please contact Mark D. Finnegan at Vets Roll, 608-207-8319. www.VetsRoll.org.
“It’s simply not possible to find the words to adequately describe Sunday’s annual VetsRoll reunion picnic at the beautiful Eclipse Center in Beloit,” said VetsRoll founder Mark Finnegan. “Kudos to Laurie Schreiber and the dozens and dozens of volunteers; Best Events Catering for 800 happy guests (including not one, but TWO Pearl Harbor Veterans!!); the Wisconsin Veterans Museum for allowing us the honor of showing the fabulous Wisconsin Remembers Vietnam Veterans Memorial Wall; the National Flag Store and True Patriots Care Foundation for the use of their flags; Ms. Haven Wells for her wonderful National Anthem performances; the Fire & Iron and Centurian Motorcycle Clubs and other groups and individuals donating nearly $16,000 to VetsRoll 11; Walnut Creek Awards for the beautiful Vietnam Veterans medallions; Culver’s of Beloit for the scrumptious Custard; local media for support; South Beloit Mayor Ted Rehl, Rockton Mayor Dale Adams; Janesville City Manager Mark Freitag for appearing in person to greet our Veterans; David Luebke, Dan Schreiber, Mark LaChance, Tom Nightingale, James Akbar, Bill Barth and other dignitaries for the presentation of the Vietnam Veterans’ medallions and so many more…but we’ll allow the lenses of Michael Cullen and John Montesano share these special memories…all made possible by our honorees, the men and women of the American military!!
“Apologies for those I inevitably forgot. We’ll be posting a photo gallery of Sunday’s extraordinary events at the Eclipse Center in Beloit.”