Colonial Flag Foundation - TN Murfreesboro Feedback remarks comments

Honoring all Military Men, Women, Veterans and Their Families while celebrating freedom May 23-25, 2009

Get a Tissue!

I would like to tell you how much we appreciated all of your hard work on the "Healing Field." I'm currently home on maternity bedrest but my husband took me there so I could see the field. He told me that there was something I just had to see. It was a beautiful sight and a very emotional sight. It was very special to me as my grandparents provided me a first hand look at what veteran's service to our country is all about whether in war or out.

My grandfather fought in WWII and my grandmother worked at Lockhead-Martin in California building airplanes while he was deployed.

Grandad is still with us but my grandmother passed away a little over a year ago. My husband Todd has heard many stories about them but I grew up helping them sell poppies at Wal-mart to raise money for our veterans and watching them set out flags on graves rain or shine for our veterans. They did this well into their 80's even when it was so difficult to walk. It was their passion to care for veterans. They rarely missed a moment to drive up from Pulaski to the Veteran's hospital to sit, talk and feed the veterans.

So, I was very proud of my husband to buy a flag for me in memory of my grandmother. It was very unexpected but he knows that even though she didn't fight in the war, she was very much a part of it and has served our veterans so much over the years. I know she would think I married a pretty good guy.

So thank you so much for putting this together. I know we all have many veterans to thank for their service and I know it was much appreciated by many people in our area and beyond. I know I won't forget it and it reminded me of such great memories of my grandparents.

Love,

Jana Gusman

Don- I appreciate Melissa taking us straight to Marc's flag. I appreciate what the Exchange Club does and what you do to support our causes.

Mike Goodloe - Local business owner

4 Responses to “Healing Fields…Patriotism At It Finest!”

Don Wright on May 26th, 2009 11:54 am

Thank you to all who visited the Healing Field, contributed, bought a flag, cried on my shoulder, talked with me about parents, grandparents, sons, daughters, sisters, brothers, uncles and even their war experiences.
It was an emotional roller coaster being the project chair - especially since we did not cover the $27000 in expenses until about Noon on Memorial Day.
“Honoring the Heritage - Preserving the Pride”

Bill Smith on May 26th, 2009 1:01 pm

Don–thank you and the Exchange Club for giving our community this experience. It was a “healing field” for so many of us. I feel like you will have much more backing next year, and will not have to wait until noon on Memorial Day to know you had enough money to cover your expenses. The Exchange Club went out on a limb to promote patriotism. THANK YOU!

Sandra Richards on May 27th, 2009 8:04 am

The Healing Fields were the most inspiring Memorial Day event I have ever seen. I would enjoy such an activity on the 4th of July, Veteran’s Day and especially September 11th. Maybe the Exchange Club could do a mini-Healing Field at the city’s fireworks on the 4th? This is Americanism at it finest. Thank you Exchange Club. Also, the picture of the dog and soldier really touches my heart.

Don Wright on May 27th, 2009 8:55 am

Sandra, we are considering such but just don’t know. It is labor intensive. We have flags left over but just not sure right now if we can secure the membership manpower.
God bless my wonderful wife who spent 40 hours over the weekend out in the Field helping people find flags, tagging flags, etc., as she volunteered. I know she would have rather slept late, worked in the flowers, gone shopping, and spent time with her adult son as his birthday was the 26th.
The Murfreesboro Noon Exchange Club is honored to have presented this to our community. “Honoring the Heritage - Preserving the Pride in America”

Don, absolutely incredible... what a perfect tribute to our American heroes. It was also a wonderful teaching tool for our family. My kids asked tons of good questions. Well done to you and all of the Exchange Club volunteers.

I have one request, do you have any of the re-barb spikes left over? I plan on using our ASC flags when we do our events. Those spikes would work perfect for us. I only would need 5.

Thanks Don.

Daryl Mackin 427-2970

Don...it was more than a wonderful event (Murfreesboro Healing Field)...so many people were so deeply touched and honored! The closing ceremony was so fitting and we are proud of the Exchange Club...you should be so very proud of a tremendous and powerful undertaking! Thank you so much. I am so glad we didn't miss it. Have a wonderful week.
-- B

D-- I'm glad it went so well! It really was moving.

Thank you.
-- Hillary Stallings, Professor Middle Tennessee State University

Don, See my email below sent this morning to BLF Marketing and Fred Landiss in Clarksville. I knew it would be a hit, just didn't know how big. I would consider doing it ever two to three years myself. However, who am I to recommend since we didn't do it this year. Hope you didn't mind me selling a new club in Clarksville.

Don, Were you here in 1973? Are you aware of my love for the Exchange Club?

I was the first chairman of the first Thanksgiving Prayer Breakfast held in Nov. 1973 at the Old Ramada Inn on So. Church Street. (John Hood asked me to chair the event.(John would never admit it today.) Dr. Bill Sherman, pastor of Woodmont Baptist Church, a friend of mine, was the speaker and the agenda of Marion Wells singing "God Bless America" at the end of the program was begun then. We had 230 plus folks at the first breakfast.

THANK YOU FOR HAVING THE COURAGE AND FORSIGHT TO BEGIN ANOTHER FIRST FOR THE NOON EXCHANGE CLUB. IT WAS A TREMENDOUS SUCCESS AND WOULD NOT HAVE HAPPENED IF YOU HAD NOT BEEN THE RING LEADER.

Bruce Plummer

Vice President - Banking

Business Development

It was one of those events where you are so tired, but so very blessing by the outcome.

Brenda Sharp

I just wanted to thank you for the "Healing Fields". It took my breath away and brought tears to my eyes. What a wonderful tribute to our service men and women. Thank you.

Nancey Agnew

Don, thank you so much and also to the Exchange Club for organizing this wonderful tribute. Pictures are truly worth a thousand words. Many blessings to you and your family!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Mike Tansil

Miley & Tansil Insurance Services, LLC.

Don,

It was absolutely beautiful! What a job well done. Congratulations to the Murfreesboro Noon Exchange.

THANKS for sharing

Nancy Britt

Congratulations Don on a very special event!

I throughly enjoyed visiting the flag site (4 times as a matter of fact) this weekend. I took a couple of hundred pictures (alot not so great, but hey, I was there and couldn't resist). I invited everyone I talked to, sent all my pictures to my family in West Tennessee, brought what portion of my family that I could, and took home nice memories and a beautiful flag. Many thanks also to everyone who gave up their weekend to help work the event. They were all so very nice and helpful. It seemed to me that there were a whole lot of flags unpurchased. I hated to see that, but I hope you sold at least what you needed to in order to call it a profitable success.

Thank you again for bringing it to Murfreesboro.

Lisa Cantrell

Don,

Just wanted to say thanks for all the work and effort put into the event. We went yesterday afternoon, spent about an hour walking thru and taking pictures.

Can I have the flag either mailed to my home or I can come by to pick it up…

GetWellNetwork, Inc.

Mike Moore · Director of Enterprise Solutions, Central Region

It was a great event and I am glad it will be returning next year.

Hopefully it will continue to expand. However, the Exchange Club stated there were 1500 flags there. It was a neat sight.

I made it to the closing ceremony on Sunday and I have to tell you it was overwhelming. I have never seen anything to match the Healing Field. I home it was successful enough to warrant doing it again next year.

I am putting together a slide show for my brother (Lester Long), as he wasn't able to attend the Ceremonies. I have quite a few photos that my granddaughters took on Sunday and I will gladly share them with you. But I was wondering if you have any photos that you could forward to me to use in the slide show?

Thanks

Sue Pahnke

"The Healing Field" was magnificent and your hard work and the work of all those involved is appreciated. The Murfreesboro Noon Exchange Club can point with pride to creating one of the most wonderful civic displays I've ever seen. Patriotism was front and center this Memorial Day in Murfreesboro, Tennessee.
Thank You,
KP

Thank you Don. Very touching. I pray our nation will return to respecting our veterans and troops in the field. I pray our nation will also heal from this fiasco it is now going through.

God bless you for what you and your helpers achieved.

Tommy Overstreet - Country Music Entertainer

Oh, by the way, this may sound corny, but as an American and Murfreesboro Boy, I truly appreciate the hard work, time, frustration, endless hours of volunteer work you personally put into the Flag Project. It was very impressive and I know it was your baby and you did a super job. Proud to call you a friend!

David Hoover

Also, May God grant you and all the others involved in last week’s Memorial Day Observance, rest, peace and the knowledge that you have blessed many, many people.

Edwin McKnight

Last Updated Saturday, May 30 2009 @ 06:07 AM GMT-7