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Volunteers help store over 5,000 flags honoring fallen members of U.S. armed forces

Published November 18, 2018 1:27 AM

Families and volunteers gathered at Patriot Park in Cathedral City on Saturday for a closing ceremony honoring our valley’s veterans. Over 5,000 flags have lined the park as part of the annual tradition during the week of Veteran’s Day, in what has become known as “the Healing Field.”

“There’s a lot of other communities that don’t really appreciate veterans as much so having Cathedral City do this every single year is really honorable to me and to have a part in it is really really awesome,” said Elsie Ipina, the Group Commander for Cathedral City high school’s ROTC program.

The flags each have with a name tag honoring a fallen member of our armed forces. Dozens of volunteers helped carefully remove the flags — safely storing them for next year.

“I volunteered when I was little too…and it means a lot to volunteer,” said Naviana Ramos, a member of Cathedral City High School ROTC.

“It means a lot that people show up. The most important thing is that they’re honoring these lives and celebrating these lives,” said Betsy Hayes, the Chairperson for the Healing Field.

The closing ceremonies featuring patriotic musical performances, speakers, and a tribute to Joel Montgomery, a bugler who played taps at this event for years.

“It’s a way of remembering a lifelong friend and all of the things that he and everyone else that is being honored today has done,” said Ron Miller, a lifelong friend of Montgomery.