For Immediate Release
January 12, 2010

Contact: Lisa Gough
(202) 393-0090, ext. 109


GEORGIA GOVERNOR SONNY PERDUE JOINS LEADERSHIP TEAM FOR THE EDUCATION CENTER AT THE WALL


Washington, D.C. – Georgia Gov. Sonny Perdue has joined the leadership team for the campaign to build the Education Center at The Wall, announced Jan C. Scruggs, founder and president of the Vietnam Veterans Memorial Fund (VVMF), the group that is leading the drive to build the Center.

The Education Center is an underground facility being built on the National Mall in Washington, D.C. that will put faces to the more than 58,000 names on the Vietnam Veterans Memorial. The Center will tell the stories of those who served in Vietnam and recognize the values common to all service members.

“We look forward to working with Gov. Perdue to honor the Georgians whose names are on The Wall,” said Scruggs. “His compassionate leadership and years of experience will make him a valuable addition to our team.”

Perdue joins the governors of Texas, Pennsylvania, Virginia, Louisiana, New Mexico and Florida on the leadership team for the Center. Members of the leadership team provide ideas, recruit supporters and lead grassroots efforts to raise awareness and gather photos of the individuals from their states whose names are on The Wall. Last October, New Mexico Governor Bill Richardson issued a challenge to other states, vowing that New Mexico would be the first state to gather all of the photos of its fallen for the new Center.

“On behalf of Georgia’s citizens, I am humbled to offer my support to the Vietnam Veterans Memorial Education Center,” said Gov. Perdue. “Such a tribute will act as an educational touchstone and will allow us to honor our fallen service members who courageously and selflessly served this country.”

As a member of the leadership team, Perdue will help VVMF gather photos of the 1,582 individuals from Georgia whose names are on the Vietnam Veterans Memorial. The images being collected will be included on a Wall of Faces that will show, on their birthdays, photos of those who died or remain missing from the Vietnam War. Other exhibits planned for the Education Center will include a display showcasing some of the more than 100,000 items that have been left in tribute at the Vietnam Veterans Memorial, a timeline of events during the Vietnam War and a history of the creation of The Wall.

Having served as a captain in the U.S. Air Force, Gov. Purdue understands the value of honoring our service members and celebrating their values. Perdue has been the governor of Georgia since 2003. His first priority when taking office was to reform the state’s budget and stimulate economic growth. As a result, Georgia went from having a budget deficit to having a surplus, and over 320,000 new jobs have been created during Perdue’s tenure. The governor has also made advancements in preserving the state’s natural resources and stimulating student achievement within Georgia’s education system.

Perhaps closest to his heart, though, is the issue of child welfare. Perdue and his wife have four children, 10 grandchildren and have provided foster care for eight infants awaiting adoption. That experience has led Perdue and his wife to publicly support foster care. First Lady Mary Perdue launched her “Our Children” initiative in 2003 to raise awareness about the need for more foster care in Georgia.

By joining the leadership team, Gov. Perdue is helping future generations learn about an important time in our nation’s history. The campaign to build the Education Center is being chaired by San Antonio Spurs owner Peter M. Holt. Gen. Colin L. Powell, USA (Ret.), is the honorary chair. Currently, nearly $25 million has been raised, including the lead gift of $10 million from Time Warner. VVMF has received donations from corporations, organizations, veterans groups and individuals. For more information on the Center, visit www.buildthecenter.org.

Established in 1979, the Vietnam Veterans Memorial Fund is dedicated to preserving the legacy of the Vietnam Veterans Memorial in Washington, D.C., promoting healing and educating about the impact of the Vietnam War.  Authorized by Congress, its most recent initiative is building The Education Center at The Wall, an underground facility near the Memorial that is designed to add faces to all the names on The Wall and tell their stories.  Other Memorial Fund initiatives include educational programs for students and teachers, a traveling Wall replica that honors our nation's veterans and a humanitarian and mine-action program in Vietnam.

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