Weekend for Our Heroes to honor veterans

Sept. 17--TUPELO -- Music, helicopters, history and food will make for a good time for a good cause this weekend.

This Friday and Saturday is Weekend for Our Heroes, an event that will raise money to build a Vietnam Memorial replica wall in Veterans Park in Tupelo. The wall will be 60 percent the size of the original, and made out of the same black granite as the original wall in Washington, D.C.

It would be the second largest wall in the country, said Rex Moody of Tupelo, a member of Vietnam Veterans of America. Veterans like himself have a special connection to the wall.

"There are over 58,000 names of our brothers and sisters who did not return," he said. "Everybody calls it 'the wall that heals.' There's a link there that's hard to put into words."

The weekend kicks off with a concert by "Maximum Archery" star Andy Ross at the Summit Center on Friday.

"He performs all-original music, and he has a country-rock kind of sound," said Leslie Pearman, a festival organizer.

The festivities continue early Saturday at Veterans Park, with a Run for the Wall 5k run/walk that also includes Boots on the Ground, a 5k for those who want to run in combat boots.

Mudcreek Archery will host an archery competition.

The competition and run both have registration fees, and for a $5 donation, kids can play all day in inflatables and with other activities.

A Huey helicopter, which were used during the Vietnam War, will be on hand, and folks can go for rides in it.

At about 6 p.m. Saturday is Petals for Patriots. The helicopter will drop 100 gallons of rose petals on the proposed site of the replica wall.

Veterans' service organizations will be on hand to take care of the veterans in the park that day, too.

There will be plenty of music in the park that day: Southern Legends starts at noon, followed by Lost & Found Bluegrass Band and Ashley Tutor. Historical exhibits will be on display, too.

Food vendors will be set up during the day. At 7:30 p.m. Saturday, there will be a benefit dinner at the Summit Center.

Visit weekend4ourheroes.com for more information.

sheena.barnett@journalinc.com

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CHECK IT OUT

--What: Weekend for Our Heroes, including concerts, 5k run/walk, helicopter rides, children's activities and more

--When and where: Andy Ross concert is 8 p.m. Friday at the Summit Center in Tupelo. Events continue Saturday at Veterans Park from 9 a.m.-5 p.m.

--Cost: Andy Ross tickets are $25. It's free to attend Saturday's events. Saturday's benefit dinner is $35/person, $60/couple.

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