Melinda Martinez, Alexandria Town Talk
·4 min read
For the past week, 109 American Flags have been flying in the Central Louisiana Field of Honor along Riverside Drive in Pineville. Then Friday, the Exchange Club of Central Louisiana and the City of Pineville hosted a ceremony at the Field of Honorto celebrate Flag Day.
This is the third year the Exchange Club of Central Louisiana has hosted the Field of Honor. It was dedicated this year to Exchange Club member and past president Martin Masden, who passed away in February. He was co-chair of the club’s Field of Honor committee. Dwain Dubroc is the project chair.
“We're looking forward to continuing this effort, not just because it's a beautiful view when you drive into Pineville to look and see this Field of Honor, but because of what it means,” said Pineville Mayor Rich Dupree, who was the guest speaker. “It meant something to Martin from a patriotic standpoint. It means something to each one of us in a different way.”
The flag could represent family members who’ve passed away, he said.
What the flag represents to him is patriotism and “a belief in your country and the people that make up that country, and that you're willing to stand and you're willing to die for or that right.”
Dupree also ran through some facts about Flag Day, such as it commemorates a resolution adopted by the Continental Congress on June 14, 1777. He quoted that “The flag of the United States shall be of 13 stripes of alternate red and white, with a union of 13 stars of white in a blue field representing the new constellation.”
He also told the crowd that President Woodrow Wilson in 1916 and President Calvin Coolidge n 1927 issued proclamations for June 14 to be observed as National Flag Day. It wasn’t until 1949 when Congress finally approved the observance and President Harry S Truman signed it into law.
The U.S. flag was the first flag to fly on the moon.
"Some of you remember when Neil Armstrong stepped onto the moon,” Dupree said. “Quite an achievement. The very first flag placed there then. But it's not the only U.S. flag there. After five Apollo missions, in each of them, an astronaut has placed a flag on the moon surface.”
The U.S. flag can be retired.
“Just like you and I can, once the stars and stripes start showing signs of wear and tear,” said Dupree.
He also mentioned that outside Pineville City Hallis a bin created by a local Boy Scout where U.S. flags can be dropped off.
"And the Boy Scout still comes and empty that bin for us every couple of weeks and makes sure that those flags are disposed of properly. And so keep that in mind if you have a flag,” he said.
Dubroc said the Exchange Club would like to fill the entire area where the Field of Honor is with flags.
“We have room for over 400 flags,” he said, adding that they need everyone to get the word out. “We always hear after the fact that, ‘Hey, I would love to be a part of this.’”
To find out more, visit healingfield.org
Last year they had more than 200 flags. When Masden died, Dubroc said they didn’t get to do as much as they could.
“It is a great cause,” said Dubroc. “It is the only official flag display done by the Colonial Flag Company in the state of Louisiana.”
Masden was the one who found out about the program and proposed it to the club.
Flags can be purchased to honor anyone, such as veteran, active military, grandparent, child, first responder, teacher, nurse or coach.
Flags can be picked up after Flag Day by those who purchased them or by the person to whom they are dedicated. They are theirs to keep.
Proceeds made from the flag sales benefit Central Louisiana Exchange Club programs such as One Nation Under God, the City of Alexandria Veterans Day Tribute, cash awards for the Veterans Day Essay Contest, Scholarships for Youth of the Month and Youth of the Year and the national project The Prevention of Child Abuse.
For more information, contact the Exchange Club of Central Louisiana at info@exchangeclubcenla.com.
This article originally appeared on Alexandria Town Talk: Central Louisiana Field of Honor pay homage to every American
