RALPHO TOWNSHIP -- More than 2,000 red, white, and blue flags were placed in the ground at Ralpho Memorial Park in Ralpho Township.
For the past 10 years, veterans have been placing flags for those who died defending our freedom and their families.
A church in this area near Elysburg used to lay flags down every year. When that stopped, organizer Timothy Vincent decided to pick it up.
"A couple of us veterans sat around and we kicked it around and said we got to pick it up. When somebody drops the ball, the next guy picks it up," said Vincent.
Timothy Vincent served in the battle of Grenada. Every year, the veterans dedicate the flags to a war and this year's flag placement is in honor of those died at Pearl Harbor 75 years ago this December.
Each flag represents a life and they are also separated into sections based on the battleships where some perished.
It's not just about planting flags in the ground. Officials want each of the volunteers to learn the significance behind them.
"I have a strong belief that if you don't learn from your history you are going to repeat it in your future," said Vincent.
Volunteers learned about the sacrifice veterans made on "the date which will live in infamy."
Kenny Gilcrest was one of the volunteers and told Newswatch 16 he learned not to take his freedom for granted.
"A lot of them have died for this and for our country and stuff and sometimes we just carry on and don't recognize what happened and you do this and you're like wow this is a big thing that happened," said Gilcrest.
The flags were donated by the Northumberland County commissioners. There will be a ceremony for the fallen on Ralpho Township's "All Home Days" in September.
