Brainerd VFW Holds 2nd Annual Freedom Festival to Honor Local Veterans

On Saturday, June 17th, a special celebration was held to honor veterans in the Brainerd Lakes Area, the 2nd annual Freedom Festival.

“This is our second year of the Freedom Festival and we want the community to know what we do for the veterans and what the community can do for our veterans,” said Brainerd VFW Auxiliary Senior Vice President Helen Doucette.

The day’s festivities included a memorial service for local veterans who have passed in the last year, as well as a special ceremony meant to showcase the proper folding of an American flag.

“We’re going to show the 13 folds of the flag, and there’s a ceremony that goes with that,” explained Brainerd VFW Honor Guard Coordinator David Meyer,

Another ceremony held was the retirement of several American flags, a process aided by several members of the local branch of the Boy Scouts.

“Me and my fellow scouts, who are being led my me, we built a decorated box to put flags in to be collected and then to be retired,”said Eagle Scout Gillian Middheh.

The Brainerd VFW hopes the Freedom Festival will continue to highlight and support veterans in the area for years to come.

“These are fundraisers that we do for our veterans, and the money is all right here in our own community to help veterans and their families,” said Doucette.

This event also saw members of the community donate to the Minneapolis Polytrauma Rehabilitation Center for veterans in need.