TIFTON, Ga. — A half-scale replica of the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier was on display at the Tifton Mall main entrance Sept. 10-11, sponsored by the Exchange Club of Rome.

Bryan Shealy, a member of the Rome Exchange Club, said the club is a civic and service organization that focuses on Americanism and child abuse prevention, among other causes.

“Exchange Club is a group of people that get together to ... as a not a social club, but a civic club, and we’re very much a service club,” Shealy said. “We share business ideas. We’re also very big on Americanism. We’re very big on child abuse prevention.”

Shealy said the club’s Americanism committee came up with the idea around 2011 to honor those who died for the country. The club commissioned a member to build the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier replica.

“A lot of people don’t get to go to Arlington to actually visit the tomb,” Shealy said.

Built from Arlington’s original plans

Shealy said the club obtained the actual plans Arlington National Cemetery used to build the tomb and had the replica built to those specifications at one-half scale.

“So if you can’t get to Arlington and some people cannot get there, then they can come see this as we travel around and get a feel of what it’s like in Arlington,” Shealy said. “They don’t get to see the guards and the guards changing, but they do get to come and see the crypts.”

Shealy said the replica is made of wood, aluminum and resin products. The top can be lifted off, and the structure has jacks and wheels that allow it to be moved.

“We got a bunch of old men that got to move this around,” Shealy said. “It’s made out of wood, aluminum and some rosin products. So it’s not that heavy.”

Traveled to 39 states

Shealy said the replica has traveled to 39 states.

“It’s an honor for us to get to carry it around the country,” Shealy said. “There’s so many people ... don’t get to see it.”

Shealy said the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier represents those who gave their lives and their identity in war.

“There are so many, or were during World War I, so many people that lost their husband, their wife, their children, their mother, their father, they were gone,” Shealy said. “In that terrible war, they had nowhere to go and stand beside the grave and share love with these people. This is what represents that spot these people can go to and have that closing moment with them.”

The display was free and open to the public Sept. 10 from 4 p.m. to 8 p.m. and Sept. 11 from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. at the Tifton Mall main entrance.

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