The Tenth Annual Merced Field of Honor is set to run from Saturday, Nov. 5, through Saturday, Nov. 12.
Presented by the Merced Sunrise Rotary Club with the help of their many community supporters, the Field of Honor will feature more than 2,000 American Flags placed on the campus of Merced Community College at the corner of West Yosemite Avenue and Veterans Boulevard/M Street.
The purpose of the Field of Honor is to acknowledge the service and sacrifice of veterans and first responders. Since the Merced Field of Honor was first mounted in 2013, it has become a signature community event, taking a place of civic pride alongside the annual Veterans Day parade and the Run for the Fallen.
Merced Sunrise Rotary President Darrell Cherf, himself a United States Air Force Veteran, says, “Of all the events our club puts on, none is more important to our local community than the Field of Honor. You can see this from the many generous local sponsors and community volunteers from outside our club who help make the Field of Honor possible, year in and year out.”
Besides Merced Sunrise Rotary, other local groups who assist with the Field of Honor include the Blue Star Moms, the Merced County Rescue Mission, UC Merced Rotaract Club, Veterans of Foreign Wars, Daughters of the American Revolution, Disabled American Veterans, the American Legion, Merced City Fire Department, Merced City Police, other groups, clubs, and teams from local schools. The presenting sponsors of the Merced Field of Honor is Joseph Gallo Farms and the Peter J Gallo Memorial Foundation. Other major sponsors include the Merced School Employee Federal Credit Union, Mercy Hospital, Community Foundation of Merced County, and many others.
Special events associated with the 2022 Field of honor include:
- Run for the Fallen: Sunday, Nov. 6, at 8:45 a.m.
- Opening Ceremonies: Sunday, Nov. 6, at 2 p.m.
- Flag Retirement Ceremony: Thursday, Nov. 10 at 6:30 p.m.
- Closing Ceremonies: Saturday, Nov. 12 at 2 p.m.
Community members who wish to honor a veteran or first responder are welcome to visit www.mercedfieldofhonor.org to either purchase a new flag or re-fly a flag from a previous Field of Honor. The cost of a new flag is $35, while re-flying a flag is $10. To celebrate the 10th anniversary of the Merced Field of Honor, a commemorative coin will be given for each flag (while supplies last). All proceeds from the Field of Honor go to support local veterans and first responders.