Oct. 19, 2001

Contact: Dan Jack (509-963-2752/fax 509-963-3460/e-mail: jackd@cwu.edu)

ELLENSBURG, Wash. - As the initial event for Central Washington University’s Homecoming 2001, titled “In Search of Legends and Heroes,” an opening ceremony at the Vietnam Veterans Moving Wall Memorial will be held Monday, Oct. 22, at 9 a.m.

The “Moving Wall” will be on display Oct. 22-26 from 8 a.m. to 6 p.m. and Oct. 27 from 8 a.m. to noon at the International Flag Pavilion on the university’s Ellensburg campus. A half-size replica of the Washington, D.C., Vietnam Veterans Memorial, it bears the names of more than 58,000 U.S. service personnel — including more than 1,000 from Washington state — who died in the conflict.

At the opening ceremony, Brig. Gen. Lee S. Legowik, Commander of the Washington Army National Guard, will discuss the new partnership involving the Washington National Guard and CWU through which guard members receive tuition waivers; Central President Jerilyn S. McIntyre will make brief remarks; and the Ellensburg (Post 8) chapter of the American Legion will present special certificates of appreciation to Lt. Col. Mark K. Souza, CWU Army ROTC; and U.S. Air Force Lt. Col. Charles K. Taft, CWU Air Force ROTC.

This year’s Homecoming activities are designed to honor university alumni, current students, faculty and staff who have, or are now serving in the military, according to Dan Jack, CWU Alumni Association executive director.

“That includes the Coast Guard, National Guard – all branches of the armed services,” Jack says. “This is a recognition and tribute that is long overdue.”

For more information about the opening event, or Homecoming in general, call (509) 963-2752, or (877) 846-2287. A complete list of Homecoming events is also available at www.cwu.edu/~cwualum.