Veterans and the village of Oswego have decided to plan for the arrival of the traveling Middle East Conflicts Wall of Honor in May.
The Wall of Honor, a tribute to members of the military who have died while serving in Iraq and Afghanistan, was scheduled to be on display in the atrium of Oswego Village Hall in May 2020, as part of Memorial Day commemorations.
The Oswego Honors Veterans Committee decided to postpone the exhibit last year due to the coronavirus pandemic.
More Top Picks Best Stationary Bikes Under 500 Dollar
Illinois Gov. J.B. Pritzker recently rolled back some of the restrictions for the region Kendall County is in. Kendall is part of the state’s region 2, which is now in Phase 4 of the state’s coronavirus restrictions. This phase is the least restrictive set of rules since the pandemic began, and is the same set of rules that was in effect for much of the state during the summer.
Local organizers for the Wall of Honor visit decided to begin to plan all of the logistics involved for an event in May now because it would be easier to make modifications later.
“We thought long and hard and put our heads together to make the best decisions we could with the information that is available. We believe now is the time to start planning,” Kris Kearns, a veteran, said.
It takes coordinated effort months in advance and volunteers to plan for the event, according to Kearns.
“This is a veterans memorial that we are bringing to the community that is being handled by a lot of veterans. We will be able to improvise, adapt and overcome and make any changes if needed to bring the exhibit to Oswego,” Kearns said. “A lot will depend on the public health safety restrictions.”
Kearns served in the United States Marine Corps in Desert Storm and Desert Shield from 1989 to 1993.
“There is nothing greater to be part of than something that remembers and honors our fallen servicemen and women,” Kearns said. “It’s an unbelievable honor to be part of the planning group. We are extremely optimistic that we will be able to bring the Wall of Honor to town.”
The Oswego American Legion Post 675 is planning to host its annual Memorial Day parade as well, Kearns said. The 2020 parade was canceled due to the pandemic.
Opening ceremonies for the Wall of Honor in Oswego are being planned for May 22, while a closing ceremony is set for May 30, he said.
The Wall of Honor has traveled throughout its home state of Oregon. Oswego was scheduled to be its first out-of-state destination in 2020.
“The Wall of Honor was planned for Memorial Day 2020, but the strict COVID-19 restrictions at the time made it unfeasible, so we postponed the event to 2021. We have been planning for the 2021 event since the last event was postponed,” Oswego Village Administrator Dan Di Santo told The Beacon-News.
“Just like last year or with any event, we will be closely monitoring the state’s restrictions and guidelines as we approach Memorial Day,” he said. “As of right now, we are in Phase 4, which allows for gatherings up to 50 people. If we remain in Phase 4 come Memorial Day we will plan a safe event that complies with the state regulations.”
However, in the event the vaccine rollout is effective and the state regulations loosen, “we will be prepared to host a larger event accordingly,” Di Santo said.
Linda Girardi is a freelance reporter for The Beacon-News.