7,000 American flags placed at Memorial Stadium

David Kronke , The Tribune-Star, Terre Haute, Ind.
Updated ·2 min read

More than 30 volunteers gathered with respect and admiration Tuesday afternoon to circle Memorial Stadium with 7,000 American flags.

It’s a passion project created by Olivia Goulding in memory of the 7,000 American soldiers killed in Iraq and Afghanistan since 2001.

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Volunteers plant flags circling Memorial Stadium commemorating the 7,000 Americans killed in Iraq and Afghanistan since 2001.

Goulding lost a good friend, Dale Griffin, overseas in 2009, which inspired her to initiate the project. This is the 15th year flags have been planted around the stadium.

Flags were placed every 18 inches around the trail outside the stadium on the Indiana State University campus. A cool breeze thoughtfully helped alleviate the 90-degree heat.

The flags will remain at the stadium until Tuesday evening, after the Memorial Day observance. During the week, people are encouraged to participate in Wabash Valley Run for the Fallen and walk, run or bicycle the trail to pay tribute to military members who lost their lives.

“It could be a great Memorial Day activity, but people can come as they can,” Goulding said. “The purpose is to observe the measure the sacrifice as exemplified by the soldiers.” She added, “We find that families really enjoy coming together at a time when parents can talk to children about sacrifice. It gives us a visual idea of the enormity of sacrifice that’s been rendered.”

Over the years, Goulding has heard from a number of grateful people who tell her how cathartic they find the experience.

“The one that’s closest to my heart is a woman whose husband served in operations in the Middle East and he had come home,” she said. “She said he had never talked about some of the things he experienced” — at this point, Goulding teared up — “but when they walked together, he talked about his experiences.

“He talked about his friends and it was very special to her because it opened up a way for her to become closer to him and for him to be able to share,” she continued. “It created a moment for them to talk.”

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Korinne Cantin was one of more than 30 volunteers planting flags around Memorial Stadium on Tuesday afternoon.