(Left to right) Michael O’Leary, Business Development Officer, BayCoast Bank; George Oliveira, Chairman, Plimoth Investment Advisors; Wayne Swenson, VP, BayCoast Bank; Joe Marshall, President, J. Marshall Associates; Julie Ramos Gagliardi, VP, BayCoast Bank; and Jack Sbrega, Treasurer of the Memorial Wall Committee.
BayCoast Bank has pledged $50,000 toward construction of a replica of the Vietnam Memorial Wall in Washington, D.C., to be located at Veterans Bicentennial Park, 1082 Davol Street in Fall River.
The regional Wall will stand 380 feet long and eight feet high, representing an 80% scale replica of the original Vietnam Veterans Memorial Wall in our nation’s capital. The project will include a Memorial Walk directly in front of the Wall, comprised of bricks inscribed with the names of all veterans and citizens who wish to permanently express their respect and remembrances of the sacrifices made by Vietnam Veterans. Construction is expected to begin in 2020.
The Vietnam Memorial Wall will be displayed alongside the World War II and the Korean and Gold Star Memorials located at the Veterans Bicentennial Park, which is open to the public from dawn to dusk daily.
Visitors will be able to access the exact location of each name, by panel and line numbers, through an alphabetical index. The Wall forms a powerful tribute to the brave members of the U.S. Armed Forces killed or missing in action during the Vietnam War. One of the Wall’s most defining characteristics lies in the ability for visitors to view their reflections superimposed on the engraved names, thereby connecting the past and present. Visitors can create keepsakes by tracing the names on the Wall and may also leave artifacts and mementos.
“I would like to thank BayCoast Bank for their support of the Vietnam Memorial Wall project which will be a permanent remembrance to those that gave their lives to continue our freedom,” said Joseph Marshall, Founder and President of J. Marshall Associates and lead organizer of the regional Wall project. “We expect that the Wall will be a destination for tourism and contain an educational component for schools to visit and learn. We also anticipate this project will be part of a bigger goal for the waterfront making Bicentennial Park a community meeting place for special events.”
Nicholas Christ, President and CEO of BayCoast Bank, said, “It is a privilege and an honor to contribute to this outstanding project, one that will pay respect to fallen heroes and serve to ensure that their sacrifices will not be forgotten.”
About BayCoast Bank
BayCoast Bank is mutually-owned, serving the needs of consumers, businesses, non-profits and municipalities through 20 branches and three loan offices throughout southeastern MA and RI. Additional services are offered through the Bank’s affiliates: BayCoast Financial Services, Plimoth Investment Advisors, Partners Insurance Group, LLC, BayCoast Mortgage Company, LLC, and Priority Funding LLC. Nicholas Christ is the Bank’s President and Chief Executive Officer. Visit www.BayCoastBank.com or call 508-678-7641 or 888-806-2872.
