Exchange Club display to use five locations this year
Flags will fly at the Church at Sugar Creek, Humboldt Higher Education Center, Downtown Mini-Park, Edward Jones, St. James Baptist Church
by Mindy East
With Veteran’s Day just around the corner, the Humboldt Exchange Club and the Gibson County Carl Perkins Center are getting a head start on their annual display of American flags to honor veterans.
This has been a long-running fundraiser for the Humboldt Exchange Club and Gibson County Carl Perkins Center. The Field of Flags has been going for over 10 years. Proceeds from this fundraiser go to the club and center.
These days with the coronavirus pandemic, the world is changing and just leaving the house is a new adventure everyday. This year, the club and center are doing things a little differently too.
In the past, there has been just a field of flags on display at The Church at Sugar Creek or Edward Jones Investment office on the Hwy. 45 Bypass but since it is a new world now with the pandemic and social distancing being a part of the guidelines, members thought what better time to spread the flags out.
“The ‘Field of Flags’ is now going to be ‘Fields of Flags’. It is a privilege for the club and center to be able to honor our veterans each year with a wonderful tribute of American flags waving in the breeze,” said club president Elna Blankenship. “We like this opportunity to give thanks and to give back to the community.”
The FOF will be on display in several different areas throughout Humboldt. They will be flown at the Downtown Mini-park, the Veterans Memorial on Main St. in Humboldt, St. James Baptist Church, The Church at Sugar Creek and Edward Jones Investments office on the bypass.
Flags will begin being erected the week of October 4 and fly until November 13. The flags will be placed with the help of the Humboldt FFA and Jason Wiles with mask and safe distancing in place during the duration of placement and travel.
“For the last few years, Jason Wiles and FFA students have placed flags for us after the utility department stakes out the grid,” said Blankenship. “Field of Flags could not take place without the assistance of them and we are thankful for them.”
Anyone wishing to participate may dedicate a flag for $25 or a sponsorship is $50 each. Those who purchase a flag will have their name displayed on both Humboldt Exchange Club and Gibson County Carl Perkins Facebook pages.
If you would like to donate or sponsor a flag for a veteran, please submit them to the Carl Perkins Advocacy Center, 306 N. 22nd Ave Humboldt, TN 38343 with name of the veteran, in honor or memory of, or you may contact Elna Blankenship at 731-225-3924 or any club member.
Help make this year’s Fields of Flags bigger and better than ever. This is a wonderful way to show your patriotism by honoring veterans while helping out a very worthy cause, supporting the Carl Perkins Center and the Humboldt Exchange Club.
