This past Veterans Day weekend marked the seventh annual commencement of Covina’s Field of Valor event located at Sierra Vista Intermediate School.
Organized by the Covina Rotary Club, this project is aimed at aiding the estimated 20% of homeless veterans currently residing in the United States, as well as putting together a magnificent display of patriotism.
Each year, over 2,000 American flags are donated by locals to commemorate a veteran of their choice. Attached to each of these flags is a description and service record of the commemorated hero, some of which date back to the Civil War and extend all the way to present Middle Eastern conflicts.
One of the emphasized characteristics in this massive display is the respectful attention paid to Medal of Honor recipients. All along the seemingly infinite expanse of rowed American flags exists an innumerable amount of those who received the highest military decoration awarded by the United States government.
Perhaps the most touching and intriguing part of the Field of Valor is the sheer variety of its commemorations. The differing stories of a soldier's service record attached from flag-to-flag tells the story of someone new - someone with a completely different background from the next, yet each serving for the same cause. It gives anyone walking through the field an indescribable feeling of gratitude and appreciation for this country’s veterans.
100% of all donations to the project and its sponsors are given straight back to veteran charities that work to assist underprivileged servicemen and women.
So far, Covina Rotary, with help from numerous other local organizations, has already taken four homeless veterans living in Azusa Canyon and placed them into housing. These same organizations have also worked to provide crucial financial aid to poverty-stricken veterans and their families.
Through projects like the Field of Valor, communities can work to not only recognize and pay respects toward America’s veterans, but also provide a beacon of hope for those heroes whose fight still isn’t over yet.
