MARYWOOD UNIVERSITY -- Thousands of flags line a college campus in Lackawanna County, honoring those military men and women who have lost their lives. Marywood University is honoring our service men and women and the sacrifices they've made on this official observance of Veterans Day.
The green of Marywood University's Memorial Commons has a much different look. The Flags for the Fallen memorial on campus pays tribute to thousands of veterans who have died since the September 11, 2011 terrorist attacks.
There is one flag for every American service man and woman killed.
The display of 6,600 flags has a lot of meaning for Kara Capozzi, a Marywood student and member of the committee that helped put the display together. She is also a military wife.
"Each one of these flags represents a family that lost someone," said Capozzi. "Also, any time there's a deployment, it's a real possibility that it might be you."
Capozzi said the project brought the university community together. Many students helped and just about everyone stopped to watch, and think.
"It brings attention to something we don't think about every day. A lot of people have made big sacrifices, and it's good we bring attention to it," said Richard Naperkowski.
Nicole Ziegler is a Marywood freshman. While Flags for the Fallen is meant to honor those who have died in the past eleven years, she thinks about much more than that.
"I look at all the flags and I think about all the veterans and all the services that put forth so we can live happy lives in America."
The display will be gone by the end of the week, but the people who helped put together Flags for the Fallen hope the message remains far beyond that, and they say that message includes honor, duty, service, and sacrifice.
Students at Marywood hope to establish a permanent veterans memorial on campus.