As part of a national promotion to increase awareness of the Vietnam veterans who have died or acquired debilitating medical conditions from being exposed to the chemical commonly known as “Agent Orange,” more than 100 local participants released orange balloons on Tuesday at Lions Club Park.
At noon, hundreds of orange balloons were released by veterans, victims of Agent Orange and family members of victims who have died or otherwise suffered from exposure to the powerful herbicide and defoliant used by the U.S. military in the Vietnam War.
Rebecca Gibbs, the organizer of the event and a recent widow of a victim exposed to Agent Orange, said she felt compelled to do something about the problem.
“I’m doing this because, if I didn’t know what was going on, no one else does either.”
Gibbs’ husband died in June, 40 years after he first became ill when he served in Vietnam.  She called his disease a “wasting-away disease” and said the U.S. government refused to admit his illness was directly attributable to his exposure to Agent Orange.
“Every VA hospital has an ‘Agent Orange Clinic,’” Gibbs said. “But they don’t tell anyone about it.”
Gibbs said she also was involved in the program “Quilt of Tears,” which tours the country in an effort to draw attention to the plight of veterans affected by their exposure to Agent Orange.
More information about the Quilt of Tears and the resources available for victims or the families of victims may be obtained from the Web site of Agent Orange Victims & Widows Support Network, Inc., at www.agentorangequiltoftears.com.