BATAVIA, Ohio — The Kiwanis Club of East Fork Region is planting seeds of patriotism across Clermont County with its annual "Fields of Honor" display, now in its fifth year.
There are 400 American flags now waving proudly at four locations throughout the county: the sheriff's office, West Clermont High School, Old Williamsburg High School and Bethel Tate Middle School.
"I like to say that every time we put a flag up, we're planting a seed of patriotism," said Bob Raub, project coordinator for the Kiwanis Club.
The initiative goes beyond honoring service members; it includes all those who serve the community's safety and security.
"We include honoring our police officers, firefighters and emergency medical personnel as well," Raub said. "They're just as important to our security as our military is."
WATCH: What these displays mean for the Clermont County community
Students from the participating schools helped plant the flags, creating a sense of ownership and pride in the project.
At Bethel Tate Middle School, a designated "Purple Heart School," Principal Christen Davis emphasized the educational value of the experience.
"This is very important to this community, and it's very important to our kids," Davis said.
The student council and Kiwanis Builders Club at the school actively participate in the project each year.
"They're at the age where they can better understand the whole purpose and why we do this, and to see how excited they are to do it, how proud they are to do it makes me proud of them," Davis said.
The flags were installed on Halloween and officially dedicated during ceremonies Saturday morning. Community members can view the display and read individual dedications through the end of November.
Raub hopes the display will create meaningful family moments and educational opportunities.
"It would be great if a dad and mom would bring their son or daughter out and show them the flag that was dedicated to their grandpa or their uncle," Raub said.
The project has helped the relatively young Kiwanis club, formed just six years ago, make a significant impact in the community. Through this program and other initiatives throughout the year, the club provides six $1,000 scholarships annually to graduating high school seniors.
"Not only today but in the next few days, few weeks while these flags are flying, they have a sense of ownership that's part of their activity," Raub said of the student participants.
The coordinator expects the tradition to continue for years to come, hoping it will maintain its community impact as people drive by and see the flags.
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