COLORADO SPRINGS, Colo. (KOAA) — More than 1,000 American flags are lining the streets of downtown Colorado Springs as part of a patriotic display to honor active duty military members and veterans ahead of Veterans Day.
The patriotic installation features exactly 1,111 flags, representing November 11, Veterans Day.
Nick Johnson gathered volunteers to help put the flags in the ground, said he hopes the flags will inspire people to reflect on the meaning behind the symbol.
"Veterans Day is one day, but I think we should remember all those folks every day," Johnson said.
Johnson brought together Space Force Guardians to bring this vision to life. He said the display should act as a reminder of the hard work and dedication of service members.
"What do you hope that people think of when they see all of these flags?" Johnson was asked.
"I hope it kind of sparks kind of like a thought, right? I hope it sparks like, hey, what are all those flags doing? And then they kind of start to do that research and understand what is actually happening here," said Johnson, "the actual honoring of hey there's 50 stars, there's 13 stripes, what does that actually mean to me and hopefully they do some internal reflection on that as well."
For Johnson, the display holds personal significance as recognition for military service.
"It makes me feel like my time with the country has kind of been kind of noted, right? At the end of the day, like whenever we serve, it's a very thankless job. So we never look for thank you's. We don't look for handouts, but this is just, it makes us feel good knowing that like, hey, there's people that know what we're doing, makes it some sort of impact," Johnson said.
These are where the flags are displayed and can be found:
- South Cascade Avenue from Colorado Avenue to Vermijo Avenue
- North Nevada Avenue from Boulder Street to Platte Avenue
- South Nevada Avenue from Cucharras Street to Vermijo Avenue
John O'Donnell, chairman for the In Their Honor Veterans Day Parade said the installation resonates with many residents.
"Because so many people are connected to the military, this really hits a heartstring for them," O'Donnell said.
The money raised from flag adoption goes toward the In Their Honor Veterans Day Parade, which is happening on November 8. People can see the flags until November 11.
If you want to adopt a flag, click here.
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National accrediting agency gives USAFA 30 days to respond to complaint
The national agency responsible for accrediting the the Air Force Academy is giving them 30 days to respond to a complaint.
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