VVMF DEDICATES RENOVATED PRIMARY SCHOOL IN VIETNAM

Six American Veterans Provided Funding for Trieu An Commune Facility

Quang Tri, Vietnam and Washington, D.C. (Jan. 13, 2010) – The Vietnam Veterans Memorial Fund (VVMF) will dedicate a newly renovated and expanded primary school in Trieu An Commune tomorrow as part of a week-long delegation by American veterans to Vietnam, announced Jan C. Scruggs, VVMF founder and president.

The dedication ceremony will feature remarks by Scruggs, Gen. Barry R. McCaffrey, USA (Ret.), who is leading the delegation, and local Vietnamese officials.

VVMF became involved when it was approached by officials at the Vietnam Union of Friendship Organizations (VUFO), VVMF’s in-country sponsor, about providing assistance for the Tuong Van Elementary School in Trieu An Commune. The existing school was not large enough to accommodate all of the students at one time, so a split school day had to be instituted. Also, the road leading to the school often flooded during rainy season, making it dangerous and nearly impossible for the students to attend. In addition, the building itself was aging and in need of repair.

VVMF sought support from six American veterans who served in the Vietnam War, many of whom had taken part in past VVMF delegations and had seen first hand the need of Vietnam’s people. The six donors who funded the project include:

• Marshall Carter, chairman, New York Stock Exchange, New York, N.Y.;
• William Soza, board of directors, John Marshall Bank, McLean, Va.;
• William Murdy, chairman and CEO, Comfort Systems USA, Houston, Texas;
• Terrence O'Donnell, partner, Williams & Connolly, Washington, D.C.;
• John Weber, partner, Baker Hostetler, Washington, D.C.; and
• Jimmy Mosconis, owner, Bay City Lodge, Apalachicola, Fla.

In addition to the Tuong Van Primary School, VVMF has built a library, a cultural community center and a baseball field in Quang Tri Province. These projects are funded through the generous support of VVMF delegation members and American veterans who have been deeply moved to provide assistance after witnessing Vietnam’s underserved people.

VVMF broke ground for the new school in February 2009. While the school’s renovation has been completed and the school has been in use since last fall, the dedication was timed to coincide with the visit of VVMF’s January 2010 delegation.

VVMF brings delegations of veterans, family members and friends to Vietnam regularly. These visits take participants from Hanoi to Ho Chi Minh City and include meetings with Vietnam and U.S. government officials. Delegations spend at least one day in Quang Tri Province to observe the operations of VVMF’s humanitarian program, Project RENEW, which employs a Vietnamese staff to eradicate explosive remnants of war (ERW), as well as provide medical and income-generation assistance to victims and their families.

Launched in 2001, Project RENEW is a cooperative effort between VVMF and the Quang Tri Province People’s Committee, designed for Restoring the Environment and Neutralizing the Effects of War. Initiatives include the identification and removal of explosive remnants of war (ERW) by trained explosive ordnance disposal teams; educational campaigns focused on teaching people about the dangers of ERW; medical assistance programs, including prosthetic care; and income-generation efforts to help victims and their families earn a living.