South Dakota Patriot Guard Riders
Field of Remembrance Project
The 'Field of Remembrance' is a field of flags sponsored by the Patriot Guard Riders members of South Dakota. The Field will be erected on the Buffalo Chip Campground at Sturgis, SD, at the beginning of the Black Hills Classic Motorcycle Rally on August 4, 2008. The fields’ purpose is to show honor and respect for all our military Heroes who have given their lives in the cause of freedom around the world. The field will consist of about 60 flagpoles if all needed funds are raised. Fifty-one of the poles will have both a US and a state or territory flag on it. The rest of the poles will have military service flags, a POW/MIA flag, an American Legion flag, or a Patriot Guard Riders flag. In order to make the Field a reality, we need sponsorship of the flags, and contributions from anyone who supports this cause. Please read below for information on how you can help.
WHY ARE WE SPONSORING FLAGS IN STURGIS?
Given the fact that that we do not have major sponsorship and want to keep the cost low, we are asking for help from everyone. Donations may be sent to South Dakota Field of Remembrance, ICO State Captain Thomas Wright 1310 22nd ST NE Watertown SD 57201. Every penny helps with our vision for the Field of Remembrance 2008 and future years.
WHAT WILL HAPPEN TO ALL THE FLAGS AFTER THE RALLY?
That really depends on the sponsors. As a sponsor of a Flag, you can choose its final disposition. You will have three options from which to choose:
1. Send the Flag to your State - The flag will be removed from the pole and sent to the sponsors home state PGR State Captain (for PGR members) to be used on missions and maybe given to a fallen hero's family.
2. Send you the flag. The flag will be removed from the pole and sent to you, the sponsor.
3. Donate the flag to someone else or an organization. The flag will be removed from the pole and sent to the person or organization the sponsor requests. It can be donated to the Field of Remembrance to be used in future fields.
All the flags will be packaged and shipped by members of the Field of Remembrance committee soon after the Rally is over. This will be done locally to insure everyone who has sponsored a flag gets his or her flag shipped as directed. If you sponsor a flag, the SD Patriot Guard Riders (PGR) State Captain will be the person in contact with you and the person sending the flag to you. If there is a question about your flag you will only have to contact one person, but I have pledged that the flags will be sent out from South Dakota in accordance with the sponsors’ direction as soon as the Rally is over.
HOW CAN I SPONSOR A FLAG OR MAKE A DONATION?
Flag sponsorship will be done ONLY VIA E-MAIL at fieldofremembrance@iw.net. This will insure that we receive written notice and have it dated. The Sponsor will indicate what flag is being requested (USA, which State or Service Flag) and how you intend to make payment. Payment will be required within 30 days of acknowledgement from the Field Of Remembrance committee, by either paypal, money order, or personal check. The website http://www.sdpgr.com/ contains all the payment options. Failure to send payment will forfeit your rights to the Flag or Flags.
To make a donation, please send a check or make a paypal or credit card payment using the ’donate’ buttons on this page. Please send an email to confirm that you have done so.
There are USA and State flags for every state and a flag for the territories, plus flags for each of the military services. If more than one flag for a state or service is sponsored then the committee will insure each flag is flown at the Field and a certificate from the South Dakota PGR will be included in the shipping to show on what date(s) the flag was flown.
Each flag (USA, State and Service) will cost 30 dollars to sponsor. This cost includes the packaging and shipping of the flag. A sponsor may pick up his sponsored flag at the Field of Remembrance if he/she wishes. There will not be a reduction of price if the sponsor picks the flag up at Field. If you cannot sponsor a flag, donations of any amount are happily accepted with thanks.
Learn more about the Patriot Guard Riders at: http://www.patriotguard.org .
South Dakota State Captain: Tom sdpgr@iw.net
South Dakota Ride Captain/webmaster Jon sdpgr.ridecaptain@gmail.com
