BAKERSFIELD, Calif. (KERO) — Memorial Day is a time to honor all Americans who paid the ultimate price while serving their country.
“Memorial Day of course is to honor and remember and revere those soldiers who unfortunately never made it home.”
That is why the fundraising director at the Bakersfield Rotary Club Denise Haynes says the Rotary puts on the Thousand Flags every year to not only honor past veterans but current ones as well.
“When you walk through this field of a thousand flags you do get goosebumps. You get very reverent. You get thoughtful and you get extremely proud to be an American and be a part of the honor and privilege to be able to walk through these flags.”
Haynes says the event will go all weekend into Memorial Day and each day will be a little different bringing new foods and community organizations.
“We will have nonprofits and their main focus is either military or service related as in first responders or medical or nonprofit.”
For Haynes this event is personal she says every year it becomes more and more fulfilling and this year people have the opportunity to sponsor a flag.
“We have flag sponsorships available all weekend. We have an information booth here so you can come to the booth and fill out a form.”
Haynes says all of the proceeds made from the sponsorships will go to causes such as the Kern County Veterans Village, Honor Flight, Wreaths Across America, and CSUB Veterans Grove. But mostly she just wants people to come out honor our fallen service members.
“We each really get excited about this event because we know how much joy it brings to the community from itty bitty ones who come out all decked out in their red white and blue to the men and women who walk with their uniform or their service caps.”
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The public is invited to sponsor a flag in honor of or in memory of a current or former military personnel or first responder. Flag sponsorships are available at $50 per flag and can be pre-ordered through the Breakfast Rotary website or at the event throughout the weekend. Sponsors can retrieve their flag beginning at 3:00 p.m. on Monday, May 30th.
Businesses interested in event sponsorship can find sponsor information and benefits on the Breakfast Rotary website.
Flags will fly beginning at 12:00 noon on Saturday, May 28th and will be on display through Monday, May 30th at 3:00 p.m.
Weekend Highlights
- Saturday 12:00 noon. – Opening Flag Raising Ceremony with National Anthem
- Saturday 8:00 p.m. – Flag Lowering Ceremony with Taps
- Sunday 9:00 a.m. – Flag Raising Ceremony
- Sunday 6:00 p.m. – Boy Scout Flag Retirement Ceremony
- Sunday 8:00 p.m. – Flag Lowering Ceremony
- Memorial Day 9:00 a.m. - 3:00 p.m. – Patriotic Fair featuring exhibitors and food vendors
- Memorial Day 9:00 a.m. – Flag Raising to half-mast
- Memorial Day 12:00 noon – Flag Raising ceremony with Invocation, National Anthem, and short program
- Memorial Day 3:00 p.m. – Final Flag Lowering Ceremony with Taps
- Memorial Day 3:30 - 5:00 p.m. – Flag sponsors may pick up their flag
