Article Released to Local Papers

 

Do you have a loved one who made the ultimate sacrifice to defend our American freedoms? Would you like to honor a friend or relative who is active duty military or a veteran? Do you know a peace officer, firefighter or EMT who risks life and limb to keep us safe?

 

Merced Sunrise Rotary wants to help you honor the heroes who serve — and who have served -- with the third annual Merced Field of Honor. Imagine over fifteen hundred American flags flying proud on the Merced College lawn -- each flag bearing the name of someone honored by a grateful relative or friend.

 

Become a part of the Merced Field of Honor by sponsoring a flag for just $35. Your flag will fly for a full week starting Sunday, November eighth.  At the end of the week you can pick up your flag to use year round and then bring it back to fly again next year for a small fee. Purchase online at www.MercedFieldofHonor.org, from any Sunrise Rotarian, or by stopping by the Field of Honor that week.

 

Because of the generosity of our many business sponsors Merced Sunrise Rotary has been able to produce an event that builds community pride and patriotism and puts a well-deserved spotlight on the sacrifices that our men and women in uniform make for all of us.

 

This year the Field of Honor will be putting an increasing focus on education. Merced Sunrise Rotary volunteers will be working with the local schools to encourage field trips to the Field of Honor and the field itself will be set up with a display of historical flags in the very center of the Field of Honor.

 

The Field of Honor is more than a statement of community pride and patriotism. It is also an important fundraiser with the net proceeds from the flag sales and sponsorships earmarked to support projects that benefit veterans, active duty military and first responders.

 

Field of Honor funds have paid for area World War II veterans to travel to Washington, DC on the Honor Flights to visit the World War II memorial. Funding has also been provided to support scholarships for both Merced College and UC Merced veteran students, to purchase fingerprint kits for Volunteers in Police Service, to send care packages to active duty military and to provide major funding for the new memorial honoring fallen officers from the Merced Police Department. Castle Air Museum has benefitted from donations to help restore the Republic F-84F Thunderstruck and funds to purchase tires for the tug used to relocate airplanes.

 

If you know of a non-profit group that is looking for funding for a project that would directly benefit veterans, active duty military or first responders they can apply for a grant from the Field of Honor by visiting www.MercedSunriseRotary.org/grants.

 

The third annual Merced Field of Honor will be displayed on the Merced College lawn from November 8th through November 14th. Be sure to plan some time to wander through the field and enjoy the stories attached to many of the flags by friends and loved ones honoring their heroes.

 

The Merced Sunrise Rotary Field of Honor is presented by Joseph Gallo Farms and the Peter Gallo Memorial Foundation.