.MT6 .hm3 .h1Grayso Enterprise Ltd Firs N Seria Rights .h2Pag #. Copyrigh 1989 .h316 May 1989 1,047 words CHICAGO' VIETNA VETERAN SURVIVOR MEMORIAL COURTES BIL LAVICK AN FRIENDS Writte b Jun Grayson Photographe b Richar Grayson Chicag are survivor o th Vietna Wa hav somethin t celebrat whe the mee a 1.0 p.m tomorro fo thei Memoria Da Presentatio o th Color a 815 Sout Oakle Boulevard th sit o th Vietna Veteran Survivor Memorial favorabl lega opinio fro Nei Hartigan Illinoi attorne general inject ne enthusias int plan fo summe activitie a th Memorial accordin t Bil Lavicka th Memorial' founder Mor tha 275,00 American contribute seve millio dollar t establis th nationa Vietna Veteran Memoria i Washington D.C Dedicate o Novembe 13 1982 i sit i th mids o th serenel landscape, fift-tw acre Constitutio Gardens par o th 14 acr Nationa Mall Th Illinoi Vietna Veteran Memorial dedicate o Ma 7 1988 cos ove on millio dollars I sit o beautifu tw acr sit i Oa Ridg Cemeter i Springfield Illinois Chicago' Vietna Veteran Survivor Memorial dedicate Novembe 7 1988 cos $50,00 an sit o privatel-owned twent-fiv foo wid cit lo nea th westsid Medica Center Bil Lavick buil i himsel wit littl hel fro hi friends N committees n fun raising n politics Lavick serve wit 70 ma Seabe uni i Vietna i 196-1968 H cam back Seve di not Lavick remember ever one "Chicago' Welcom Hom Vietna Veteran parad i 198 inspire m, bu wante t d somethin myself, Lavick recalls " owne thi empt lo an sai wh not didn' nee t as anyone' permission didn' eve nee buildin permit." Lavicka structura engineer an hi wife Alys ow Histori Boulevar Services The rehabilitat older incom- producin propertie i th Tr-Taylo Histori Distric o Chicago' Nea Wes Side Th Memorial' component fro gutte offic building a abandone Catholi church an a electri company Friend an busines associate donate additiona money material an labor Lavick ha establishe no-profi foundatio o whic h i presiden t ow th Memoria an lo an t maintai i i perpetuity To Lampa Chicag policeman i vic-presiden an Bruc Brummel constructio superintendent i treasure o th organization Bot ar als Vietna veterans. Fiv building tha Lavick rehabilitated adjoi th Memoria sit t th north Tw empt lot owne b th Stat o Illinoi adjoi th sit t th south. A antiqu Chicag lam post illumins eac corne o th site Tw Buddhis dragon flank a entranc ston and symbolicall protec th hallowe ground Smal marbl steppin stone lea t th bac o th lo wher te cas iro column painte bloo-re soa t th sky Th column encircl concret sla i whic i embedde blac granit map o Vietnam "Vietna Survivor Memorial 196-1975 America' Longes War. Th Memoria ha alread becom rallyin poin fo Vietna veteran i Chicago "Remembe tha thi i survivors Memorial, Lavick stresses "Go bles thos wh didn' com back bu th survivor ha th hardes tim o all W neve receive an hono fro th countr tha sen u ove ther s no w hono eac other Yo di goo jo an di goo jo an welcom hom a last. Th column ar place fa enoug apar fo wheelchai to ente th centra circle Anonymou visitor leav note an flowers "Thi i happ place, Lavick says "Yo ca fin peac an healin here" Mor tha 50 peopl attende th Memoria dedicatio on Novembe 7 1987 Chicago' mounte polic carrie th flags Neighborhoo store an restaurant donate foo an beverages. Las summe a th Memorial th Chicag Humanitie Counci sponsore boo-readin b Larr Heinemann Vietna vetera an autho o Paco' Story winne o nationa boo award Later specia 2,00 Balloo Releas Ceremon fro th Memoria remembere th MIA's "W pla summe benefi t rais mone fo homeles Vietna Veterans, Lavick says "W envisio dinne o th ground festiv occasio an invit everyon intereste t participat an donat t th fund Al proceed wil b turne ove t A Lynch als Vietna veteran an hea o th Illinoi Veteran Advocac Departmen unde th offic o th Attorne General fo distribution. However twent fiv foo lo doe no provid muc roo fo festiv celebrations Tha i wh 40 Vietna veteran sen petitio las yea t Governo Thompso requestin tha th Stat o Illinoi dee it tw lot t th Memoria Foundation Th Medica Cente Commission whic currentl ha authorit ove th us o th lots ha conclude tha suc propert transfe woul b illegal Th veteran the aske Attorne Genera Nei Hartiga t determin ho th adjacen lot coul b use fo Memoria activities "W don' wan t mak thi ou lif work Lavick says "bu w starte nic thin an w woul lik t se i continue W sai t th Stat o Illinoi ther ar 200,00 survivin Illinoi Vietna veteran an lo o the hav com her an fel better Numerou studie fro veteran organization an medica center sa tha memorial suc a thi provid catharsi an hel veteran confron thei hauntin memories W thin tha th us o 2 foo lo o eve fift foo lo i stil no commensurat t th pai tha thes veteran endured. O Monday Ma 15th Lavick receive lette fro Hartiga whic sai i par ".....i i m opinio tha th Medica Cente Commissio o th Stat o Illinoi doe hav th authorit t se th vacan lot asid a par whic coul the b use i conjunctio wit th adjacen memorial.... Lavick hope tha additiona ceremonia fla pole an flowerin tree ca b place aroun centra grass are o th adjoinin lots "W invit al veteran t com an celebrat wit u tomorrow Com alon o wit famil an friends i unifor o ou o unifor bu brin you flags nationa state POW, Vietnam al o them W wil swa storie an continu thankin eac othe fo th servic w gav ou country An w wil als giv thre cheer fo Nei Hartigan." #####