Adding faces to the names on the wall

Veterans Day was made extra special for Plaza Elementary teacher Leigh Sofarelli when she and two students were chosen to participate in the “Call for Photos,” an effort to assemble images of every person whose name appears on the Vietnam Veterans Memorial in Washington, D.C. Sofarelli, an educator for 11 years, flew on a special “Honor Flight” to Washington last weekend to participate in a full slate of events, accompanied by BHS graduate Nora Kogelschatz and Baldwin elementary student Taylor Parides. The Herald spoke to Sofarelli about her experiences.

Baldwin Herald: Tell us about the Call for Photos and how you got involved.

Leigh Sofarelli: The Call for Photos is a nationwide campaign partnered by the History Channel and the Vietnam Veterans Memorial Fund to collect a photograph for each of the 58,272 men and women whose names are on the wall. The photographs will be displayed in the future Education Center at the wall and will appear online on the VVMF’s Virtual Memorial Wall. It will educate our children and grandchildren about the Vietnam War, telling the story of the war through personal stories. So far, with the help of the VVMF and other volunteers across the country, the effort has collected over 23,000 photos. We hope to have all 58,000 by 2013.

BH: Your husband is also a Vietnam War historian. How did you two get so involved?

LS: My father-in-law, Michael Sofarelli, was a Marine who served in Vietnam. He earned a Purple Heart as a result of injuries received while on duty. My husband, Michael, has always been interested in the Vietnam War and the efforts of the VVMF. He wrote a book in 2006 called “Letters on the Wall: Offerings and Remembrances From the Vietnam Veterans Memorial.” I supported him throughout that project and, in turn, became interested.

We live near the VA hospital in Northport, and recently spent a great deal of time there with Vietnam veterans. Their support and concern for one another as they battle physical and/or emotional wounds is unmatchable. They were sent home with little or no support, and no one understands that like another Vietnam vet. These men and women were never welcomed home, and now I make sure that it’s one of the first things I say.