Sunset Gardens flies 1,150 flags for Memorial Day Community Celebration

RICHLAND, Wash. — On Memorial Day Monday at Sunset Gardens, more than 1,000 flags fly across the green expanse of the cemetery, ahead of the morning’s ceremony and celebrations. 2024 meant the 52nd annual Avenue of Flags , to pay tribute to local veterans who have passed away.

“It's a very positive, uplifting event. I think that's what's great about it. People typically look at cemeteries as maybe being a kind of a somber place, but this day of the year, it's nice. It's very happy and everybody's attitudes are just upbeat,” said Sunset Gardens General Manager Pat Hollick.

Around 100 volunteers showed up in the early morning dawn, spending around three hours setting up the 1,150 flags, each with the name of a local veteran who has passed, and whose family has given the flag to Sunset Gardens.

“I think that's what's significant to our events compared to others, isn't it?” Hollick asked. “The name of the veterans on the flag, it's actually their flag that is presented to the family, so it carries special meaning and you'll see families come out year after year and stand next to that flag, and take a picture. It's a Kodak moment, for those people old enough to remember what Kodak is.”

The event kicks off with a pair of skydivers at 11:00 a.m. One carries a 1,500 foot American flag. Hollick called it a spectacular sight.

“If you've never seen it, you got to come out and see it,” Hollick said.

There’s also a singer, taps, a tribute to the fallen warrior with a placement of a wreath, and a guest speaker.

This year’s guest speaker was Major Scotty Smiley, the Tri-Cities veteran who became the U.S. Army’s first blind active duty officer.

“We’re here not only to recognize the men and women who have served, the men and women of the Marines, the Navy, the Coast Guard. They constantly have given their all; have given their life to protect and defend our country, and so I push to all of you to not only recognize and memorialize the men and women who have given their lives for their country, but to stand up and support the United States of America. The best country in the world. To support and defend, to stand up, vote. Make your voice be heard, to make sure that those lives that were given were worth me giving my eyesight for it,” Smiley said in his speech.

Hollick said if you missed the program, to come out to the property, drive through it, and look at the flags displayed. They’re only up for 24 hours. Hollick said the flags would be taken down Tuesday morning around 7:00 a.m.

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