In the years following the American Civil War, citizens placed flowers on the graves of those killed in battle, a day known as Decoration Day. After World War I, the day came to be observed in honor of those who had died in all U.S. wars, and the name of the holiday changed from Decoration Day to Memorial Day. Congress made Memorial Day an official federal holid ay in 1971 to be celebrated on the last Monday in May. The day is observed by religious services, parades, and speeches nationwide. Flowers and flags are placed on the graves of veterans in local cemeteries.
A field of flags representing our heroes is an impressive way to honor those who serve. Over the years, it has evolved to honor not only military heroes but civilian heroes. Two local flag displays are well worth checking out: The Exchange Club’s Wake County Field of Honor and The Rotary Club’s Flags for Heroes.
The Wake County Field of Honor, hosted by seven local Exchange Clubs, is an awe-inspiring Memorial Day observance in which several hundreds of American flags fly in tribute to veterans including those who have served, those currently serving, and those who made the ultimate sacrifice. Our police, firefighters, EMS, medical professionals and other heroes are also honored in this patriotic display.
Flags for Heroes is hosted by Rotary Clubs across the country. In Fuquay-Varina, the Flags for Heroes display is a collaborative project of the Downtown Fuquay-Varina Rotary Club and the Fuquay-Varina Rotary Club that honors and recognizes heroes who selflessly serve their community.
I spoke with NC District Division Directors Angie Stafford (Division 3) and Gene Hackney (Division 4) about the Exchange Club’s Wake County Field of Honor, as well as Virginia Johnson, past president of the Downtown Fuquay-Varina Rotary Club, and Angela Field, past president of the Fuquay-Varina Rotary Club about the Flags for Heroes display. Each provided a wealth of information about the history, meaning and mechanics of these patriotic events.
A Brief History of the Field of Honor
The Healing Field, or Field of Honor, was started by Paul Swenson, an Exchange Club member and owner of Colonial Flag Company. Just before the first anniversary of the 9/11 tragedy, Paul learned the number of people who died on that day. He was moved to donate 3,031 American flags in commemoration of those lost lives, and to display them in a field in his town of Sandy, Utah. The display proved to be an emotional healing experience for many and by the following year, several other cities hosted their own Healing Fields/Fields of Honor. Now, nationwide, hundreds of cities and organizations have a Field of Honor.
While initially the display was to commemorate victims of 9/11, it has expanded to honor veterans, law enforcement officers, first responders and medical personnel. In 2003, the National Exchange Club Convention endorsed the Field of Honor. Since then, Exchange Clubs across America host Fields of Honor for Veterans Day, Memorial Day, Fourth of July and other occasions. Colonial Flag Company provides American flags for these displays at low cost, and also donates $1 from each flag displayed in a Field of Honor to the Exchange Club Foundation for the prevention of child abuse, which is the Exchange Club’s national project.
The Wake County Field of Honor
The Exchange Clubs—whose core values are family, community, and country—sponsor projects in Americanism, community service, youth programs, and child abuse prevention. Their Americanism program of service promotes pride in our country, appreciation for the freedoms granted to American citizens, and gratitude to the men and women who serve or have served in the armed forces. Seven Exchange Clubs host the fourth annual Wake County Field of Honor: The Exchange Club of Fuquay-Varina, the Peak City Exchange Club of Apex, the Exchange Club of New Hope Wilders Grove, the Exchange Club of North Raleigh, the Exchange Club of Raleigh, the Exchange Club of Swift Creek Township, and the Exchange Club of West Raleigh.
Volunteers from these seven Exchange clubs, family, and friends all work together to bring this project to fruition. A surveyor lays out the field with military precision: strings are run to mark rows, every seven feet they make a hole for a flagpole. Rows are labeled. A tag is affixed to each flagpole to indicate who the flag is dedicated to and the honoree’s field of service. A ribbon tied on each pole shows their service: yellow–military, blue–police, red–first responders, white–medical professionals. Books are kept to track exactly where an individual’s flag is located.
With 500 flags, each measuring 3’ x 5’, aligned in ruler-straight rows on eight-foot poles, the Wake County Field of Honor makes a striking display. An extremely moving moment comes at sunset when special music is played. At night, the field of flags is lit up. Scout troops camp out at the field to guard the flags through the night. After the event, flags are removed from the field, and each with its tag is made available to be picked up by sponsors as a memento.
Once the expenses of the display are met, this event becomes a fundraiser that supports other Exchange Club programs that make our communities a better place for everyone to live, like support of foster families, Veterans Matter, youth scholarships, support of youth robotics teams, donations to food banks, support for homeless families, to mention a few.
Individuals can sponsor a flag as a tribute to a member of the armed forces, a veteran, police officer, first responder or medical professional for $35, and business sponsorships are also available. Flags may be purchased online at the Exchange website (https://www.healingfield.org/event/raleighnc23/) or by contacting a local Exchange member by email at wakecountyexchange@gmail.com. Check the website for additional events like flag retirement ceremonies and special music at sunset each night.
The Wake County Field of Honor is held Memorial Day weekend at the Exchange Club of West Raleigh Baseball Complex at 830 Barringer Drive, Raleigh. The field remains open 24 hours a day from Friday, May 26, at 10 a.m. with the posting of the flags on the field (volunteers are welcome to help post flags), through Monday, May 29, 1 p.m. for the Memorial Day ceremony, after which the field will be immediately disassembled.
Flags for Heroes
Hosted by Rotary Clubs across the country, Flags for Heroes is a community event that recognizes local heroes by placing a flag in their honor. Each community organizes their own flag display. The Fuquay-Varina Rotary Club and the Downtown Fuquay-Varina Rotary Club collaborate to host our community’s display, a field of hundreds of flags located at 201 North Main Street in downtown Fuquay-Varina.
Rotarians support their community through local service projects that make their town a better place to live, and embrace the motto, “Service Above Self.” They have expanded their concept of heroes to those who live this motto and serve others selflessly. Anyone who has served their family, community, or country and has inspired us to be a better person, is eligible to be honored. This could include (but is not limited to) military, police, firefighters, first responders, schoolteachers, nurses, doctors, ministers, mothers and grandmothers. Designating a flag for a hero is a visible way for people to show their pride and appreciation for their hero’s contribution.
People of all ages stop by and walk through the flag display. Often, they will talk about the person being honored who was important to them and how meaningful it is to be honored. There are many stories to be heard; and new this year, people can share their stories on the Rotary website when they sign up for a flag. This is a way of being heard, and a comfort in knowing their heroes are not forgotten.
The Rotary Club purchases the flags through sponsor and local business donations and retains the flags after the display. A medallion with the honoree’s name and service is affixed to each flagpole and is given to each honoree after the event. This project is also a fundraiser, and contributions are used by the Rotary Club to do more good work in the community like Meals on Wheels, assisting with food insecurity projects, Take a Kid to the Ballgame, Read-a-Book/Get-a-Book, and installing and maintaining Little Free Libraries and Little Free Pantries, just to name a few of their missions.
The Flags for Heroes display runs from May to mid-June. Two patriotic ceremonies are performed for those who have passed in the line of service: one on Memorial Day (May 29) and one on Flag Day (June 14). Check the Rotary website, www.FVFlags.com for information on how to donate, how to tell your hero’s story, and other details.
It is fitting to recognize our heroes—those whose values are family, community and country, those who place service above self, those honored in the Wake County Field of Honor and the Flags for Heroes displays. All are invited to visit and to walk among the posted flags. There is no charge for these events.
