Photos/Tammy Curtis
Key Club Sponsor Patricia Hinds with students who have helped with the 2022 Veterans Day Flag Display in front of the school. Students include Lexie Stout Megan Gore, Brianna Coles, Darcie Taylor, Haley Cude, Kelsey Dillenger and Bella Counts.
By: Tammy Curtis, Managing Editor
After learning about an American flag project during the 2015 Key Club Convention, Cave City’s Key Club implemented the program.
In 2017, Courtney Edwards and Violet Hastings, were the first graduates who worked with the program in 2016. They heard about a school in Missouri doing it as a fundraiser, but felt it should be free and something for the community to be proud of.
Students get a list of veterans or current service members from people in the community who submit names. They then print the names on colored card stock based on the branch of military the veterans served in. They then tape them to the flag sticks, completely covering them with clear tape as to withstand precipitation.
The flags are then placed in the ground in front of the school for display in front of the flag that represents their respective branch of the service. Each day they go out and check for any that have fallen over, blown away or been damaged and replace them
Patricia Hinds is the Key Club sponsor and said she has really enjoyed the project each year, and watching it grow. The first year they had almost 100, realistically, she said she thought they might have 30.
Every year except 2020, when they couldn’t get the flags due to the factories shutting down due to the Covid pandemic, the club has made the display as a way for students to show their respect and admiration for area veterans. Many of the Key Clubbers are also carry overs from Trisha Turnbough’s Middle School History Club that puts on a service each year on Veterans Day. This year, they have 546 flags. As new names come in each day, they place the flags in the huge display in front of the school.
Hinds said, “Our kids have grown up with it and I am really happy how our kids support our military.”
People in the community have also expressed their support for project. While the Key Club sponsors then event, other students can also help. The brother of Abel Cunningham, a Cave City graduate, made his flag to honor his service.
Key Club members replacing flags that have blown over.
Terry Roberts is the favorite one among many as he is many of their favorite substitute.
This shows the positive side of the military. Hinds said there are people who walk through every year, with over 100 hours of work into making the flags, the display is stunning.
Stout is one of the Key Club officers who has participated every year. She said cars actually pass by and honk as they are placing flags, showing their support and respect.
Hinds said she is always excited about the project and looks forward to it growing.
Besides the flag display, Turnbough’s History Club will also present their annual program and recognition on Fri. Nov. 11 at the Veterans Memorial in town and invites the public to come out and show their respect for the men and women’s service and witness the students as they host and honor these veterans.