A local project honoring Vietnam Veterans is demonstrating that there is no age, race, background or ideological differences that cannot be bridged for a common cause, according to a news release.

Last fall, the Sunset Hills Historical Society spearheaded an effort to make St. Louis one of the stops for the American Veterans Traveling Tribute, or AVTT. The historical society sprang to life when different local organizations, businesses, and citizens joined together in an effort that coalesced into the Show-Me Hero Salute, or SMHS.

Some of the many major items on the agenda for the wall visit included creation of a website, promotional materials, a logo, and graphic design elements.

Enter Professor Chuck Groth of St. Louis Community College-Meramec in Kirkwood. He attended one of the early Show-Me meetings and said that both he and his students in the graphic arts design program would be happy to assist.

“I thought the Show-Me Hero Salute event would be an ideal class project because it required a good deal of research by the students to do it effectively,” Groth stated in the release. “Giving them a greater understanding of an important part of the country’s history and the role graphic designers can play in communicating concepts and shaping public perceptions.”

Groth modified his curriculum to allow for a series of related projects where his students could apply a full range of design skills. The undertaking was set up to mimic what they might encounter in a real-world professional setting when working with a client.

Stephen Hanpeter, president of the Sappington-Concord Historical Society, said the wall group wanted the website to be a one-stop shop and information anchor. The website not only would serve as an open invitation for the public to visit and experience the AVTT Traveling Wall, but to offer the chance to any and everyone to participate in organizing, publicizing and contributing to the event.

With those ideas in mind, SMHS provided the basic structure, pictures and elements needed for promotion and communication to the Meramec graphic design students.

The students were responsible for creating the SMHS logo, letterhead and matching envelopes, business cards, posters, fliers and handbills. They also designed an innovative three-dimensional pop-up poster, as well as the website design. The class is working on long-term souvenirs for all event attendees that include a wall rubbing sheet and a printed event program for the daily schedule of speakers and ceremonies during the event’s duration.

“Starting with the logo we have found the students’ work to be innovative, insightful, and prolific, and they brought a sense of energy and vision to the project,” Hanpeter stated in the release. “We were blown away at (the logo’s) simplicity and beauty. The star in place of the dash used in our group name is a point of inspiration.”

Hanpeter said the website design is fitting and appropriate for the uses of SMHS. It is simple, yet elegant, much like the Vietnam Veterans Memorial itself. Groth was generous and insightful enough to see that this project would give his students real-world experience. The SMHS would not have gotten far with publicity efforts or crafting the message of the event without them.

The students were very enthusiastic and approached the wide-ranging task in a highly professional manner, according to Groth. He was impressed by the way they worked together as a group and the commitment they conveyed to the project.

“I couldn’t be happier with the work they produced, because they did the work themselves.” Groth stated. “They did it to a high standard, and they not only learned valuable skills, but put them to use to benefit the community.”

Justin Tolliver, a graphic design student who worked on the project, said that his class discussed the meaning and history of the memorial. He said the AVTT graphic project was a group effort, and everyone pitched in to do their part, and working on the website was a new challenge for them.

“It was a different sort of project for us and a good chance to get to work with group members and also members of the community in dealing with something that is so touching to people and carries great importance,” Tolliver stated in the release.

Tolliver has visited the Vietnam Memorial Wall in Washington, D.C., and saw the Traveling Wall several years ago, but said he will definitely make the effort to see the AVTT Traveling Wall event in June.

“Just having the opportunity to be part of that was a pretty worthwhile endeavor,” Tolliver stated. “It was something I was grateful I was able to help out with.”

The website,

is evolving in content every day. Starting out, the site offered the general facts of who, what, when and where, but now offers a deeper look inside the event, veterans organizations and the people involved.

There are many components of the website, but if someone visits the “Resources” section on the site they will find a variety of information broken into two parts, “Pass It On” and “Wall Reflections.”

The “Pass It On” tab under the Resource heading offers graphics, links to other related sites and points of interest, including a look inside The National Veteran’s Art Museum in Chicago. The “Wall Reflections” tab offers many links to articles, Veterans pages and projects “exploring the meaning of the Vietnam Veterans Memorial and its significance to Vietnam veterans and to all Americans.”

“The reflections on these websites makes one appreciate much more the significance of the Memorial, its design and construction,” Hanpeter stated. “And the effect it has had on Vietnam Veterans and all who visit the Memorial.”

There is a guestbook located on the website and it is broken into different areas for the Army, Navy, Marines, Air Force, Coast Guard and the Merchant Marines. It was set up for the community to have a collective place to share and reflect. It is hoped that visitors to the AVTT Traveling Wall will use the guestbook to post pictures and tell others about their experience. The AVTT Traveling Wall arrives here Wednesday, June 12, and will be taken to Lindbergh High School by a vehicle escort, which everyone is invited to join, but registration is required. To be part of the escort, call Rosann Shannon at (314) 729-4837. The welcoming and escort will begin at 3:30 p.m., at Watson and Grant roads.

The Wall will open to the public at roughly 1 p.m. Thursday and an opening ceremony and program of speakers will begin at 6 p.m. The Wall will be open 24 hours a day until 3 p.m. June 16. A program of speakers and ceremonies are planned for each day.

For more information, daily ceremony schedules, to become involved or escort requirements visit

or call SMHS Chairman Morris L. “Butch” Thomas at (314) 281-1885 or email him at chairman@show-meherosalute.org.