Via Albany Herald:
How do you plant 900 American Flags and scores of white crosses in the ground in just an hour and a half? You bring in teenagers to help.
Saturday morning in front of the Albany Mall, more than 125 ROTC students from Dougherty, Worth and Lee counties swarmed the area, placing flags ahead of the 15th anniversary of the Sept. 11 terror attacks as part of the 14th annual Patriot’s Field of Flags memorial, which began this weekend and will continue through the 9/11 anniversary.
“We shaved move than an hour and a half off our old record,” said Marvin Mixon of American Legion Post 30. “It was a combination of youthful energy and soft ground. This is the largest number of kids we’ve had out here. I think it’s good Patriotic learning lesson for them.”
Post 30 is the event sponsor, and its members put up the display with help from other organizations and individual volunteers. Other participating organizations include American Legion Post 182 in Leesburg, American Legion Post 335 in Sylvester, Marine Corps League, Veterans of Foreign Wars Post 2785, American Legion Riders, Sons of American Legion and area Junior ROTC units.
The Patriot’s Field of Flags is a program to remember and memorialize the men and women who have been involved in the War Against Terrorism, including all members of our nation’s military, firemen, policemen and other emergency response personnel.
Westover High School Marine Corps Junior ROTC unit Instructor Lt. Col. Don Mills, Sr., who brought a large contingent from the school, agreed with Mixon.
“These kids who are out here today will learn something they can carry with them the rest of their lives,” Mills said. “They are learning to be responsible citizens. Those who volunteer by giving back to the community are also receiving a great gift.”