The Broken Spoke Campground, Highway 79 N, will host the Vietnam Veterans Moving Wall at the 69th Sturgis Motorcycle Rally in August 2009.
by Darcy Betlach (Chrome Marketing) – November 4th, 2008
Sturgis, SD, United States, 11/04/2008 – "The Wall will be the center of daily ceremonies to honor the fallen soldiers of Vietnam and other wars, as well as active duty military who continue to risk their lives on behalf of a grateful nation," said Jay Allen, co-owner of Broken Spoke Saloons.
The replica of "The Wall" in Washington, D.C. has been touring the country for 25 years. Since its first public display in 1984, the traveling memorial has been viewed at more than 500 different locations by millions of people.
An opening ceremony to honor all active military and all veterans is planned for Saturday, Aug. 1. There will also be a closing ceremony at sunset, Saturday, Aug. 8, 2009 at the Broken Spoke Campground, just outside Sturgis, South Dakota.
Also in attendance for the week will be Rolling Thunder, a non-profit organization whose members donate their time to the non-profit’s mission to publicize POW-MIA issues and to help American veterans from all wars.
"We are very honored and excited to have the Vietnam Memorial Moving Wall coming to the Broken Spoke Campground," said David Shoe, a veteran and the campground’s general manager. "Many bikers are vets and all bikers are patriots, so we feel very privileged to be bringing this memorial to the rally. It will be a great opportunity for riders from around the nation to share an incredible experience."
A former US Army Ranger who served his country in both Iraq and Afghanistan, Dave Shoe lives in Rapid City and heads up management of the 600-acre Broken Spoke Campground that includes a 30,000 sq. ft. Broken Spoke Saloon and "the world’s largest biker pool." He will be coordinating the weeklong ceremonies surrounding the Wall’s appearance.
The Moving Wall was built as an act of love by struggling Vietnam veteran volunteers, John Devitt, Norris Shears, Gerry Haver, and others. Each year, when additional names are added to the monument in Washington D.C., additional names are added to the traveling memorial.
John Devitt has continued to travel with the Moving Wall and will be at the Broken Spoke Campground to greet riders. Story details and photos for use by the media can be found at Bikeweek.com, a media partner. High resolution photos are available on request.
About The Broken Spoke Saloon and Campground
The Broken Spoke Saloon has a traveling footprint at major rallies across America. Jay Allen’s original Broken Spoke Saloon is in downtown Sturgis, SD, with additional property locations in Daytona Beach, FL, Myrtle Beach, SC and Laconia, NH. The biggest Broken Spoke Saloon is located at the newly developed Broken Spoke Campground, just outside of Sturgis. Marketing and property management is handled by The Target Companies, on the web at thetargetcompanies.com.