SWFL foundation aims to educate young people about Vietnam War

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Charlotte County Vietnam wall reads the names of veterans. (Credit: WINK News)
Charlotte County Vietnam wall reads the names of veterans. (Credit: WINK News)

PUNTA GORDA, Fla. — Two months ago, over 1,000 people attended the dedication ceremony of the Vietnam Wall of Southwest Florida.

While many veterans and their families were at the ceremony, there were not many young people.

This realization led community leaders to form the Vietnam Wall Education Foundation, an organization dedicated to teaching the next generation about the war’s history.

“Almost everyone here had grey hair and was advanced in age and I thought it was wonderful, but these people know about this already. The people that need to know about this are the kids who are our future,” said Sharon Pointe, president of the foundation.

Bill Akins, a Vietnam veteran and the foundation’s director of fundraising, doesn’t want others to forget those who made the ultimate sacrifice, he said.

The foundation hopes to raise money to organize field trips for all Charlotte County eighth graders and provide scholarships to graduating seniors.

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