Healing Field flags honor those who served
Several months ago when Bev Eigenberg heard about the idea of the Naperville Healing Field of Honor, she knew what had to be done.
"At that moment, I just made my mind up, We have to do this, and I have to be a sponsor," Eigenberg said.
(Danielle Gardner/Staff Photographer)
PHOTO GALLERY
• Healing flags
• Online: Colonial Flag Foundation
She became one of the field's sponsors to honor her late husband, Harry, who was a World War II veteran.
"I know how terribly important it was to him," Eigenberg said.
Eigenberg will be among the many expected to visit the field of 2009 flags for the Veterans Day program this morning, which begins at 11 a.m. on Rotary Hill, on Aurora Ave.
Parking for today's program is available at the Naperville Municipal Parking lot, with extra handicapped parking available on Rotary Hill as well as the parking lot behind Centennial Beach. Refreshments and a brief reception at the Riverwalk Eatery at Rotary Hill will follow the Veterans Day program. Limited seating will be available.
The 45-minute ceremony will feature a color guard march down through the field of flags, followed by bagpipe groups. Patriotic poems will be read by veterans and the Naperville Municipal Band will perform. Speakers include Mayor A. George Pradel, Naperville Healing Field of Honor Chairman Dave Wentz and Paul Swenson, the CEO of the National Healing Field Foundation and creator of the idea for the Healing Field. The keynote speaker address will be given by state Rep. Jim Watson, R-Jacksonville, a decorated U.S. Marine Reservist who served both in Operation Desert Storm and Operation Enduring Freedom.
"He's just very, very excited about coming to Naperville," said Wentz, who is also past president of the Exchange Club of Naperville. "There are initiatives like this springing up all over the state showing overwhelming support for the troops and what they're doing in Afghanistan and Iraq."
The Healing Field is a fundraiser organized by the Exchange Club of Naperville, along with the Naperville Park District. Money raised by the sale of flags and tags will benefit Fisher House — an extended stay facility being built for families of veterans getting treatment at the Hines VA Hospital. Flags can be purchased for $30 and flags with an honor tag for $35.
"On Saturday and Sunday we've had over 300 flags sold in addition to what we've sold already," Wentz said.
More than 300 people took the Millennium Carillon tour, with 100 percent of the $3 tour fee going toward Fisher House.
"We made $1,000 from the carillon tour on Saturday," Wentz said. "Every dollar of the carillon tours this week goes toward our cause."
Wentz said the group recently learned Operation Support Our Troops Illinois will provide a matching grant to whatever the Healing Field donates to Fisher House.
At least half the flags have yellow tags on them, indicating they are dedicated to specific veterans. At the foot of the hill is a flag dedicated to a soldier injured on D-Day. Elsewhere, there are dozens dedicated to Naperville natives lost in Iraq and Afghanistan. And on Tuesday field organizers received a call from someone wanting to purchase a flag in honor of Bolingbrook resident Pfc. Michael Pearson, who was killed Thursday in the Fort Hood massacre.
"It's like a living history museum, walking down the rows," Wentz said.
While it wasn't planned, the field of flags form the number "1" on the field, which was noticed by visitors atop the carillon. Wentz said the group is being flooded with e-mails from people sending photos of their visit to the field. Some people are bringing pictures of loved ones and laying them with wreaths at the base of the flags.
"It's almost unimaginable — the degree and depths of the emotion expressed this week," Wentz said. "It's like we opened a door in the community and people are walking right in."
Eigenberg said the site of the hill is "just breath-taking," with many visitors stopping simply because they see it from the road.
"I just wish everyone would go," Eigenberg said. "It's a celebration of Veterans Day — it's different from Memorial Day. You feel very alive when the flags are moving ... We need some good feeling right now. It's time to celebrate all those people and the ones that did good things for us."
Eigenberg, who owns Creative Nursing School in Naperville, is encouraging families to visit.
"The children probably won't understand what it means, but they'll never forget the flags," Eigenberg said.
Other activities
Other Veterans Day events in the city include the rededication of the restored Civil War cannon in Central Park. Mayor A. George Pradel, the Naperville City Council and the Naperville Heritage Society will join community members at 1:30 p.m. today at Naperville's Central Park, 104 E. Benton Ave.
Earlier this summer, the 954-pound iron cannon was removed for cleaning and restoration purposes as part of a larger project to conserve four monuments in Central Park. This cannon was captured during the Civil War and found a new home in Naperville in 1871 where it was used in Fourth of July celebrations as well as at an 1880 Republican Party rally held in Central Park.
Throughout the city, schools will be honoring veterans with special assemblies and classroom visits. At St. Raphael's Catholic School, 1215 Modaff Road, a flag raising ceremony at 8:50 a.m. will be followed by a Mass of Thanksgiving at 9 a.m. and a breakfast for veterans and their families. All active servicemen or women, and veterans of the Army, Air Force, Navy, Marines, or Coast Guard are invited to participate in this celebration.
"It's just a way for us to show our appreciation to them and thank them," said Julie Berkowicz, Home and School representative. "The children are very excited."
