700 flags go up at Garrison Park for Crossville Field of Honor

What This Story Is About

• Volunteers set up 700 American flags at Garrison Park in Crossville for the annual Field of Honor, with each flag dedicated to a veteran, ahead of Veterans Day

Why It Matters

• Proceeds stay in Cumberland County to support local veterans’ organizations and child abuse prevention programs.

What Happens Next

• Flags will be unfurled Oct. 31 at 9 a.m., and the official opening ceremony is Nov. 1 at 2 p.m. at Garrison Park.

For Context

• The Field of Honor is a National Exchange Club project that began five years ago with 500 flags and has grown to 700.

Catch Up

• Volunteers, including veterans, church members and motorcycle club members, spent hours measuring the field, driving rebar and securing the flags on Friday.

CROSSVILLE, Tenn. (WVLT) — Volunteers set up 700 American flags Friday at Garrison Park in Crossville for the annual Field of Honor ahead of Veterans Day.

Each flag honors a specific veteran. The event is sponsored by the National Exchange Club. Proceeds support local veterans’ organizations and child abuse prevention programs in Cumberland County.

Volunteers set up the field

Volunteers and veterans spent hours measuring the field, driving rebar and securing the flags across Garrison Park. Organizers said the volunteers ranged from church members to motorcycle clubs.

Organizers said the field is free and open for the public to walk through all week.

“We honor the veterans living and past. People buy flags to represent a loved one. We put the 700 flags out and each one is dedicated to a veteran,” said Tim Witherite, Field of Honor chairman.

Witherite said Cumberland County has a large veteran population.

“We have one of the highest percentage of veterans in Tennessee, they claim. So we take this time to honor them, and the veterans really appreciate it,” Witherite said.

Tim Brown, field coordinator, said the work reflects a feeling about the country.

“A sense of pride. You know? A sense of pride and just loving the country,” Brown said.

J.D. McCann, a veteran with the American Veterans Motorcycle Club, was among the volunteers.

“I’m a veteran. And in honor of my father, who passed away in March — he was an Air Force veteran. And all the other veterans in East Tennessee, we need to honor them, and that’s why we’re here,” McCann said.

The Field of Honor began five years ago with 500 flags. This year’s display has 700.

“Every year it gets a little bigger. We started with 500 flags, we’re up to 700 now. And the sponsorships grow most years,” Witherite said.

Organizers said the growing support keeps the field free and open for anyone to walk through all week.

The flags will be unfurled on Oct. 31 at 9 a.m. The official opening ceremony will be Nov. 1 at 2 p.m. at Garrison Park.