A Centerpiece of Community Activity

The panorama of flags presents an inspiring sight for the Murrieta Community.

Newspaper articles and media reports describing Field of Honor® and Healing Field® flag displays usually focus on the posted flags.  Nevertheless, a Colonial Flag Foundation flag display does not exist for itself alone; it exists to benefit the community in a myriad of ways.    A panorama of flags presents an awe-inspiring image that draws organizers, volunteers and visitors together while creating a memorable event that honors and informs.  Yet, it reaches farther still by benefiting the community in innumerable ways.

While this is all difficult to put into words or explain, the example of the Field of Honor® in Murrieta, California, illustrates the many things that a flag display can bring to a community.  For the past five years the Murrieta Rotary Club has joined with the City of Murrieta to host a Veteran’s Day Field of Honor® flag display.  Highlights include:

The Murrieta Field of Honor® has raised funds to:

• complete the Murrieta Through Time historical monuments at the Town Square Park which illustrate periods of Murrieta’s past.
• continue development of the Veterans Memorial in the Town Square Park which commemorates the seven major wars fought by the United States and its military.

All 1,500 fifth grade Murrieta school students visit the Field of Honor® to enrich their study of American History.

The 2013 flags posted for the Field of Honor® has also included three sections which:

• honored men and women from the area who died fighting in Afghanistan and Iraq.
• honored Californians who have received the Medal of Honor.
• displayed the flag of American History that have been flown since the flag was adopted in 1777.

Not content to simply repeat their event each year, Murrieta’s Rotary Club adds something new each year.  These yearly additions have included:

Around twenty chalk paintings beautified the walkways around the Murrieta Field of Honor®.

• The “Patriots’ Chalk Walk Painting” to decorate a cement pavement surrounding the flag display.
• The “Hill and Dale Run” motorcycle ride to Camp Pendleton and back.
• Ceremony honoring First Responders.
• Celebration of the 238^th birthday of the U.S. Marine Corps.
• Participation in the Murrieta civic parade on Veterans Day.
• Visit of the 1,500 Fifth Grade Students attending area schools.
• Candlelight Ceremony and Concert presented by area high school choral students.
• Celebration of Rotary Day at the Field of Honor.
• Presentation of Day of Remembrance Concert.

Murrieta area residents come together to experience their Field of Honor®.

Although a formation of United States Flags flying against a blue sky is indeed impressive and inspiring by itself, the display forms the centerpiece for a myriad of activities which surrounded Murrieta’s Field of Honor® giving an amazing event even deeper meaning.  The Murrieta Rotary Club has done a fantastic job in enhancing their Field of Honor® to make an outstanding event even better.  We at the Colonial Flag Foundation congratulate the Murrieta Rotary Club, and we are excited to see how their Field of Honor® will continue to grow each year.