Patriot Park's summer events include flag display, music concert and fundraising dinner
STOYSTOWN ― The Patriot Park Foundation has three major events planned this summer to honor those military members who gave their lives during the Global War on Terrorism.
The Fallen Heroes Memorial Dog Tag Flag is returning to Somerset County for a second year. The flag display will be here from July 7 until July 30; the public can view the display from 9 a.m. to 9 p.m. daily at Patriot Park, 6150 Lincoln Highway, close to the Flight 93 National Memorial entrance.
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What is the Fallen Heroes Memorial Dog Tag Flag?
This 6-foot by 28-foot American flag is composed of more than 7,000 red, blue and silver dog tags, each of which is inscribed with the name of a service member who has died since Sept. 11, 2001, in the Global War on Terrorism. At the top left corner of the flag are 50 gold stars in honor of the nation’s gold star families, who are the families of those fallen service members. The size of the flag is also significant, as it represents the length and width of a U.S. flag when draped over a service member’s casket. '
At the bottom of the flag are medallions with the seal of each branch of the military, and a battlefield cross, sculpted from mahogany by veteran artist Alicia Dietz, stands in front of the flag.
Veterans & Athletes United, a nonprofit organization supporting disabled veterans and their families, created the flag display, which travels around the country to raise awareness of the sacrifice of these fallen service members and their families.
Patriot Park Foundation has made a donation to the VAU for the use of the flag, said Randy Musser, the foundation’s president.
“Part of our mission statement is doing what we can to support organizations that support veterans,” he said.
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Patriot Park Day concert
On July 14, a Patriot Park Day music concert is planned at 7 p.m. The concert features live choral and instrumental music from the Flight 93 Memorial Chorus and A Touch of Brass, respectively. Admission is free, and the Fallen Heroes Memorial Dog Tag Flag will be on display as well. Those who plan to attend the concert should bring along a lawn chair for seating. Beverages will be available for purchase at the park.
Freewill donations will be accepted at the concert for the Tunnel to Towers Foundation, which works to help families of fallen and catastrophically injured veterans and first responders.
“We hope people will come and enjoy it,” Musser said. “It will just be a nice evening.”
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Bleier to speak at fundraising dinner
Former Pittsburgh Steeler and Army veteran Rocky Bleier is to be the featured guest speaker at the Patriot Park Foundation’s first fundraising dinner, which takes place at 6 p.m. Aug. 10 at the Friesland Event Center, 2536 Ridge Road in Hooversville.
Bleier’s story of determination and optimism took him from the football field to combat in Vietnam, where he was seriously injured in an ambush attack. He worked his way back from those injuries to not only walk again, but also to regain his football career with the Pittsburgh Steelers, where he became a starting running back and helped the team win four Super Bowl titles. Bleier also earned the Bronze Star and Purple Heart medals during his military service.
“He was able to accomplish so much … it’s a story that young people, especially, need to hear,” Musser said. “This is an opportunity for people to hear from a great American hero, not just a sports hero.”
A total of 300 tickets are being sold for the dinner; tickets can be purchased online through the Patriot Park Foundation website, patriotparkfoundation.org.
This article originally appeared on The Daily American: Patriot Park's summer events are flag display, music concert and fundraising dinner
