It will move you to tears.

The Vietnam Veterans Memorial Wall replica in Hartland, Wisconsin, is profoundly moving, a sobering reminder of the staggering loss of young men, and women, we must never forget and always honor.

I went to see the replica Wall in the late evening hours on Saturday, June 1. There’s something especially profound about seeing it at night, lit up against a night sky with electric candles flickering against the plastic-covered photos and newspaper articles that have been lovingly placed near names. The Fire Department has erected a massive America flag. It’s open 24 hours.

Hartland is a very patriotic community, and I’m glad that I live in a county where people appreciate and honor the service and sacrifice, of these brave young men and women.

There’s still a chance to see it, if you haven’t yet. The replica Wall will stand in Hartland’s Nixon Park, 175 E. Park Ave, until 2 p.m. on Sunday, June 2. Hartland is the only Wisconsin community scheduled to get the mobile wall in 2024. According to CBS 58, 67 Waukesha County service members’ names are on the wall. Three are from Hartland. They are Thomas James Carstens, Darryl Jay Koch, and Donald Albert Sudbrink.

“My company had 90 men. Within two weeks, we lost 75% of them,” Vietnam Veteran and volunteer Dick Burr told WISN. “It’s hard. It tears me up right now. You know, I know at least 30, 30 guys that are on the wall.”

The Wall That Heals History

“On Veterans Day 1996, the Vietnam Veterans Memorial Fund (VVMF) unveiled a replica of the Vietnam Veterans Memorial in Washington, D.C., designed to travel to communities throughout the United States,” the Vietnam Veterans Memorial Fund says. “Since its dedication, The Wall That Heals has been displayed at nearly 700 communities throughout the nation, spreading the Memorial’s healing legacy to millions.”

“Bringing The Wall home to communities throughout our country allows the souls enshrined on the Memorial to exist once more among family and friends in the peace and comfort of familiar surroundings,” the VVMF explains.

Carefully and lovingly placed along the replica Wall in Hartland are the photos of some of the men who died, along with flowers, children’s sketches of flags, old newspaper articles, and other mementos that capture the human beings behind the names.

There is a mobile education center that presents the photos of the local heroes whose names are on the wall. This particularly moved me because, a number of years ago, my journalism students and I helped find the final missing photos of Wisconsin service members whose names are on the Wall. This was for a major project sponsored by the VVMF to find a photo for every name. The military photos had burned up in the 1970s in a major fire.

As I stood in the Hartland park, there flashed before me some of the photos we had found. One stood out: Michael Bohrman.

I found his photo for a series on the missing photos that I wrote for the Waukesha Freeman.

MILWAUKEE – Wisconsin has the “Best ID Card,” according to an international association of the global card manufacturing industry, the Wisconsin Department of Transportation announced on Friday.

Wisconsin’s REAL ID over 21 driver license received the Élan Award of Excellence from the International Card Manufacturers Association, WisDOT said. WisDOT said Wisconsin was the first state to use a unique security element found on the cards.

Officials said the Wisconsin DMV worked with CBN Secure Technologies Inc. to design and integrate the updated security features with new, custom design elements. Beyond the artistry of the card, the manufacturing process also delivers a card with enhanced security, counterfeit resistance and easier authentication.

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“We’re grateful to receive this international award recognizing the outstanding work our Wisconsin DMV team and partner CBN Secure Technologies Inc. did to integrate advanced security features with beautiful imagery from our state,” DMV Administrator Tommy Winkler said in a statement. “Wisconsin residents should be proud of these highly secure cards that deliver a superior user experience.”

The Wisconsin DMV debuted the design on driver’s licenses and ID cards in June 2023. The new cards offer distinctive artistic features, including hand-crafted artwork of key Wisconsin symbols. As for the security feature, WisDOT said an exclusive transparent window integrates cardholder data. 

VERONA, Wis. (WMTV) – Girls on the Run of South Central Wisconsin celebrated its 13th annual spring 5K on Saturday.

Over 2,700 runners participated in the 5K at Verona Area High School, making it the largest season ever.

“It’s so powerful to see a girl-centered space,” Girls on the Run of South Central Wisconsin’s Executive Director Christine Benedict said. “Seeing kids take on something hard together knowing that even though it’s going to be kind of tough, especially on a rainy day, to make it through 3.1 miles. They’ve got hundreds of kids that believe in them and they’re going to help carry them across the finish line.”

The nine-week after school program for third through eighth grade girls is more than running. It teaches them life-long skills like confidence, character, contribution and empowerment.

“It’s just so inspiring to see how much interest there is in what we’re doing,” Benedict said. “People understand that there’s a reason to have girl-centered spaces where kids can be together, celebrate their strengths, learn about their unique star power and to feel like this is worth celebrating and expressing joy over.”

Girls on the Run (GOTR) of South Central Wisconsin happens across ten counties and 92 different schools.

Saturday was the program’s 13th spring 5K run, but GOTR of South Central Wisconsin has been in the local community for 19 years.

The program will return again in the fall. To learn more about Girls on the Run and how to join, visit their website.

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