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Community invited to honor the fallen at Vietnam remembrance event center to cities throughout the nation. White Bear Township was one of only 31 communities chosen to host The Wall That Heals in 2026, said White Bear Lake Historical Society Executive Director Sara Markoe Hanson. It is also the only Minnesota city on the tour. Community members still have a chance – until July 7 – to submit a loved one for inclusion in the traveling display. New names are no longer added to the Vietnam War Memorial in Washington D.C., but a ceremony is held there every Father’s Day to commemorate veterans who returned home
BY JACKIE BUSSJAEGER CONTRIBUTING WRITER
Of the more than 68,000 Minnesotans who served in the Vietnam War, 1,077 never came home. These individuals – those lost and those who currently live in the community – will be honored at The Wall That Heals, a four-day memorial event and educational display hosted at Polar Lakes Park in White Bear Township, Aug. 6-9. The Wall That Heals, hosted by the Vietnam Veterans Memorial Fund (VVMF), brings a threequarter scale replica of the Washington D.C. Vietnam War Memorial and mobile education
MORE INFO Community members still have a chance – until July 7 – to submit a loved one for inclusion in the traveling display at The Wall that Heals, a four-day memorial event and educational display hosted at Polar Lakes Park in White Bear Township, Aug. 6-9. An application can be found at www.vvmf.org/ In-Memory-Program/.
SEE SUMMER MEMORIAL, PAGE 9
Structural Wood Corporation closes its doors after 61 years BY GRAHAM JOHNSON CONTRIBUTING WRITER
After more than six decades, Structural Wood Corporation (SWC) will close its doors at the end of this year. The long-time wholesale distributor of engineered wood products has faced challenges in the changing construction industry including difficulties hiring, a move away from wood as a construction material as well as supply chain issues following the pandemic, which led to the business closing. “None of those things are the reason. It’s death by 1,000 cuts,” said Jim Schumacher, President of SWC.
Decades of business in a changing industry
SWC’s origins stem from Weyerhaeuser, an American timber company pivoting to focus on manufacturing rather than design or fabrication. The design and fabrication jobs previously done by Weyerhaeuser were open to new companies, creating a new market. “About 20 corporations came out of that decision,” Schumacher said. “We did the stuff they didn’t want to do.” SWC quickly became a one-stop shop for all manner of commercial construction needs. “We have customers across dozens of supply sectors,” Schumacher said. Over time, many of SWC’s common construction projects shifted away from wood within new construction, instead relying on concrete and steel. Schumacher referenced a shift in culture for chains like Arby’s and REI, which previously
PHOTOS BY PAUL DOLS | PRESS PUBLICATIONS
Getting fired up for the 4th of July White Bear Lake will be celebrating the 4th of July with a variety of activities, including a fireworks display and vintage military airplane flyover. The fireworks can be viewed from West Park, Memorial Beach, Matoska Park, White Bear Lake County Park and on the water. Starting at 8:30 p.m., the Shoreview Northern Lights Variety Band will performing at West Park prior to the fireworks.
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