"The American Veterans Traveling Tribute" will be making its way to El Dorado this summer as part of the Kansas Veterans and Family Reunion.
    The traveling tribute will be in El Dorado from July 17-20. It will be set up at Shady Creek in Veteran's Point, area 3.
    "It is a wonderful display to all the fallen heroes of wars past all the way from the Revolutionary War to the Enduring Freedom and the Global War on Terrorism," said David Evans, KVFR vendor coordinator.
    It also includes an 80 percent sized replica of the Vietnam Wall and some artwork, as well as a tribute to the Twin Towers victims of 9-11.
    The moving wall had been to El Dorado before, but that was 10 years ago when it made a stop at El Dorado High School, and before the other aspects of it were added.
    “It has so many more things involved with it,” said Kevin Pickrell, KVFR vice president.
    The theme is “Salute to Uniforms.”
    There will be ceremonies for Scouts, fire, EMS, police and others during the time the wall is in El Dorado. Then there will be a salute to the veterans on Saturday to go along with the tribute display.
    “It’s a great enhancement to the KVFR,” Pickrell said.
The tribute also includes the Cost of Freedom Memorial, which is a series of stand-up exhibits created in gold dog tags to record the names of those who gave their lives for our freedom since Vietnam, including present day Enduring Freedom and Iraqi Freedom. Another aspect of the tribute are the 911 memorials, a stand-up exhibit with lighted twin towers. Each name is recorded according to their location.
    There is also a Walk Of Heroes. This is a series of stand-ups to pay tribute and educate all about the country's history and the conflicts the United States has been involved in to insure freedom.There is also a nationally acclaimed art display of original paintings, called Vietnam Remembered, and more for viewing, education and reflections. Posters and prints are available for sale.     Anyone can purchase a silver custom inscribed dog tag to place on the tribute panel. This is a tribute and a personal message to a loved one of past or present.
    The final part is a World War II portion, which displays pictures and information to pay specific tribute to these veterans.
    Remembering, educating, and respect are main focuses of AVTT.