Haymarket ‘Field of Flags’ ceremony honors public servants

HAYMARKET – Haymarket will honor those who work in public service with their 2nd annual “Field of Flags” ceremony.

The Gainesville Haymarket Rotary Club and the Town of Haymarket are joining together to host the Flags for Heroes and Families weekend commemoration from June 14 through June 16 at the Town of Haymarket Park, located at 14710 Washington Street.

A community ceremony will celebrate this year’s Field of Flags on June 15 at 9 a.m. Individual flags may be sponsored to honor a veteran, firefighter, police officer, teacher or anyone in public service. Sponsorships support Semper K9, a non-profit that provides service dogs to combat veterans. The public ceremony is free and open to the public.

This year’s event will include: Haymarket Baptist Preschool children’s choir, Boy Scout troop 1882, and the National Anthem will be sung by locally renowned performer Jarreau Williams of Xen Live Entertainment. Local dignitaries will be present to recognize heroes as well the Haymarket mayor and town council and the Haymarket police department.

The Haymarket police monitor the flags overnight and provide support during the event. The flags will be erected on Friday, June 14 and taken down June 16, with the flags lit overnight.

Each flag is adorned with a tag containing the honoree’s name, branch of service, or type of service, and who is honoring them. At the end of the ceremony, those who purchased recognition for their hero can attach a placard to a flag of their choosing.

“Whether military, law enforcement, teachers, firefighters, a family member or neighbor, we invite you to honor a hero in your life by sponsoring a flag,” said Terri Aufmuth, president-elect of the Gainesville Haymarket Rotary Clubs. “Proceeds from this event will benefit a local non-profit, Semper K9—they are changing the lives our military veterans every day.”