Idaho State University student Lorri Smith has used her project in the Self-Expression and Leadership program to help raise money for a serious and worthy cause: The Field of Heroes created by John and Joyce Rogers. Field of Heroes is a memorial where a cross is set in a field for each American soldier that has died in Iraq or Afghanistan.
Smith is hosting a series of fundraisers on July 3, 10, 17 and 24, at the ISU Quad, from 5:30-9:00 pm, to benefit the Field of Heroes. No admission is charged, and money is raised through a silent auction and raffle of fine arts and services. In addition to Smith’s efforts, the events are also being sponsored by Melissa Hartman, Bannock County Veterans Coordinator, and John and Joyce Rogers, who is also president of Vietnam Veterans for America and the state coordinator for the Yellow Ribbon Campaign.
The fundraising caught the attention of ABC8 News in Idaho Falls, which wrote the following story for its website.
Field of Heroes Fundraiser at I.S.U.
By Genevieve Judge
For the last four years, the Field of Heroes has been brought each Memorial Day to Pocatello to memorialize the U.S. casualties in Iraq and Afghanistan.
Thursday night, a local woman held a Field of Heroes fundraiser at Idaho State University in Pocatello.
There was a silent auction along with a raffle to raise money for the field as well as the Yellow Ribbon Campaign of Idaho. All proceeds from the fundraiser will go back to the Field of Heroes to finish making a video about the field as well as have families of those soldiers that have died be able to see the memorial.
“They have 39 casualties from Idaho right now. When they invite them to come next memorial day, they don’t want it to be a burden for the families. So they are creating a fund to help them come out to the field of heroes on Memorial Day next year.” says Lorri Smith, who is raising money for the Field of Heroes and the Yellow Ribbon Campaign of Idaho.
There will be an auction for a flag Friday out at the Bannock County Fairgrounds during the 4th of July celebrations. Lorri will also be out at the ISU Quad each Thursday through July from 5:30 p.m. until 8 p.m.
