KANSAS CITY NORTH — The Oak Park High School Alumni Association is proud to dedicate the “Vietnam Healing Wall” to honor alumni who served in the war.

The permanent memorial recognizing those who served and those who sacrificed is unveiled in a dedication ceremony at 1 p.m. Saturday Aug. 2 at 825 NE 79th Terrace. Fellow alumni, veterans, families and community members are invited for this occasion.

The event features remarks from alumni organizers and district leaders, a ceremonial color guard presentation, a ribbon-cutting and the official unveiling of the Vietnam Healing Wall. Attendees are also invited to tour the school after the ceremony.

The memorial honors the names of 275 veterans who served during the war and the sacrifice of 11 alumni killed in action. The alumni veterans represent the school from classes spanning a nine-year period from 1966 through 1975. The effort began three years ago by three Oak Park alumni, including Cary Marshall, who served in the Air Force during the war from 1969-1970. The group researched through yearbooks, reached out on Facebook and used word of mouth to obtain and confirm the list of names for the memorial.

“It was important to give back to our brothers and sisters who served in the war. Some came back, some did not, and we appreciate the school sharing our vision to recognize their sacrifice. It’s also important for our youth to know what happened,” Marshall said.

The group collaborated with North Kansas City Schools to ensure there is a tribute to the bravery, sacrifice and legacy of Oak Park’s Vietnam era veterans.

“It has been years in the making, and we are deeply honored to finally bring this vision to life,” said Oak Park Principal Molly Smith.

The program begins at 1:15 p.m. in the main gym followed by the ribbon cutting in a hallway next to the gym.