PLANNING OBSERVANCE — Judy Owings, director of the Prime Time Senior Center, 300 Lovers Lane, Steubenville, and Dan Wilson, commander of AMVETS Post 275, met recently to finalize plans for the Welcome Home Vietnam Veterans Day observance that will be held at the center on March 23, beginning at 1 p.m. -- Janice Kiaski

STEUBENVILLE — AMVETS Post 275 and the Prime Time Senior Center are partnering for the third consecutive year to conduct “Welcome Home Vietnam Veterans Day” through an open-to-the-public program on March 23 at the senior center, 300 Lovers Lane, beginning at 1 p.m.

Planners for the event that will honor Vietnam veterans in particular but also salute all area veterans include Dan Wilson, commander of AMVETS Post 275; Judy Owings, Prime Time director; and Cynthia Morris, Prime Time food services and activities manager.

The program will include welcomes by Owings, Wilson and Steubenville Mayor Jerry Barilla, followed by something new — the Allegheny Angels performing a variety of selections, a mix of period and patriotic music.

Then, Vietnam veterans in attendance will be invited to stand and get a welcome-home they may never have experienced, according to Wilson and Owings.

“This is a celebration of Vietnam veterans and veterans in general, with special emphasis on the Vietnam veterans,” Wilson said of the program. “We are going to do the traditional welcome where the Vietnam veterans in the audience will be given the opportunity to come up and shake hands and get a welcome home.”

There, they will be greeted on stage by Vietnam veterans Mike Bongart and Jack Ernest, Wilson and Bill Demjan, all members of AMVETS.

The response generated is “excellent,” according to Wilson, who explained March 30 officially is designated as the Vietnam veterans observance in Ohio but because it conflicts with Good Friday, it is being held a week earlier.

“It’s very emotional because often Vietnam veterans didn’t get a welcome home like my generation did,” Wilson said, who served in the Air Force during the first Gulf War. “I always feel like Vietnam veterans are my heroes, because they made sure that we got the welcome home that they didn’t.

“They are my heroes, every single one of them, because they went and did what they were asked to do, and they came back, and people weren’t real happy with them, not real appreciative of what they did,” Wilson said.

The expressions of gratitude are “very appreciated,” according to Owings.

“It really in the past has given the Vietnam veterans a forum, and some who haven’t spoken up or stepped up in a long time feel comfortable around the other vets to do that,” she said.

The program that lasts about 45 minutes will be followed by a cake and coffee social time.

For information, contact Wilson at (740) 317-8646.