They are the names being etched in young minds in Cheshire, born out of a bond between and grandfather and his granddaughter.
“I think as I get older and with Haley, doing all this just seems to get a little closer,” Don Falk, a Vietnam veteran said.
It’s overwhelming and so nice to see the town come together for this,” Haley Falk, founder of Because of the Brave, said.
Haley founded the nonprofit, Because of the Brave, raising the funds to bring the Vietnam Traveling Memorial Wall to her hometown and a lesson in appreciation she’s learned after visiting the Vietnam Veterans Memorial in D.C. well over 15 times.
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“I think it’s so important. One of the pillars of Because of the Brave is to educate the youth and then being here and being able to recognize and understand why they’re able to be here today is super important,” Haley said.
It’s the personal connection to Cheshire that Don said he hopes those who visit the wall, including hundreds of Cheshire students, will remember.
“I think they’re getting a lot out of it they may not seem like it, but the eye contact you get with the students when you talk with them, you know, and I’ve tried to talk as many as I can, you can tell they’re listening and I appreciate that. They’re going to take something home with them,” Don said.
“I said we need to make this young lady’s day and bring them all here to Cheshire,” Doc Russo with the Vietnam Traveling Memorial Wall said.
Russo, with Vietnam Traveling Memorial Wall, said Haley is one of the youngest applicants to ever apply for the program’s 18 annual events and has left a lasting impression on him.
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“It’s great to see a young person with that much enthusiasm and someone that cares that much about veterans especially Vietnam veterans, which is grandpa, that want to share and make sure that their stories are told and they’re not forgotten,” Russo said.
This granddaughter’s passion for patriotism makes her grandfather proud.
“It’s hard to describe, you know, I guess my comment would be, 'Haley what’s going to be next?' You got a lot to shoot for but I’m sure she’s not going to disappoint, this doesn’t end here,” Don said.
