‘We are so proud of our country’: Volunteers set up Field of Honor in Hermitage
HERMITAGE, Tenn. (WKRN) — A group of volunteers spent their Wednesday morning in Hermitage, setting up 1,000 American flags to honor veterans.
With Veterans Day right around the corner, volunteers with the Exchange Club of Donelson-Hermitage and Andrew Jackson's Hermitage posted a thousand flags on Victory Field for the 9th Annual Field of Honor .
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"This keeps the veterans, America at the forefront on Veterans Day," explained Terry Scholes, co-chair for Field of Honor.
"Recurring people that come out will hang a picture of their loved one who passed in World War II or Vietnam, and it is truly a healing process for them," said Stephanie Randolph, a volunteer with the Exchange Club of Donelson-Hermitage.
Open 24/7, community members are welcome to walk through the flags day or night in honor or remembrance of the many people who dedicated their lives to serving the country.
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"Hopefully, they are thinking about folks in their family that have served, why they serve, and why it is important to honor those who serve," said volunteer Nicole Schierling.
Each flag has a story and is sponsored by a family member or friend of a veteran.
The funds from the flag display go toward helping American Veterans, child abuse prevention, and other Exchange Club projects.
"We had a couple come out; they had a lost a son in Afghanistan or Iraq two weeks before," recalled Scholes. "Their other son came out and purchased a flag in honor of his brother, put the tag out. And then we took them out to that flag for them to grieve. I get choked up talking about it."
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The field is free to visit and officially opens on Thursday, Nov. 7.
A fireworks display will be held over the flags at 7p.m. on Saturday, Nov. 9 . The flags will remain in the field until Nov. 16. After the display, the flags will be returned to the families.
"We are so proud of our country," Schierling concluded.
