MUNCIE, Ind. (NewsLink) - September 11 is a day forever marked in America’s history. Therefore, every September, the Muncie Exchange Club hosts an event called the Flags of Honor at Minnetrista in order to honor local veterans, current soldiers, first responders and fallen heroes.
The annual event is a patriotic display of over 1000 American flags arranged on the Minnetrista lawn. Bob Rector, Chairperson for the Flags of Honor, talks about how the event unites people within the community.
“Yeah, a lot of people come out here and just enjoy the field and the campus here at Minnetrista. We had a great crowd here today, but you have farmers market right beside us so a lot of those people are coming over,” said Rector.
Some of the flags are adorned with a yellow ribbon, which means that the flag has been sponsored. This means that families purchased the ribbons in order to honor a loved one. Rector believes the event can sometimes be a needed outlet for people.
“It’s kind of a healing field sometimes out here,” said Rector.
The nonprofit event is focused around 9/11 and the bravery shown that day in 2001. Every year the flags stay up until the evening of the eleventh and then a ceremony is held with America’s Hometown Band playing music and service personnel and first responders guarding the flags. Rector believes the event plays an important role on the influence of 9/11.
“If you were here and you were awake and you saw it, you knew where you were at. So this is, this starts on the fourth and it always ends on the eleventh with Patriot’s Day as we celebrate the first responders because when we run away from a building the firefighters are running the other way and there’s something to be said about that. I’m not a firefighter. I don’t know if I could do that so they are and I, we understand the sacrifice that not them, but their family makes every day so this is kind of a lot with that first responders of 9/11. This is kind of what it’s based around and that patriotic side,” said Rector.
The Flags of Honor closing ceremony will take place tomorrow evening in the Indiana Room with America’s Hometown Band playing at 6:30 p.m. and the ceremony begins at 7p.m.
The proceeds from this year’s events are going to local charities and agencies with a purpose of preventing child abuse. Additional information can be found on Minnetrista’s website.
