Area students lend their time and talent to special project

A Branson resident enlisted the help of some area students for a unique idea to help celebrate America's 250th Birthday. For Beth Schulz, the project carries a special meaning—one she wants to share with the students, with Branson residents and visitors to our area.

"I created a flag banner that was made out of three and a half inch squares of fabric," Schulz explained. "The flag side had seven different white fabrics, six different red fabrics and one blue fabric. I sent about 110 squares to each of the schools—Branson, Hollister and School of the Ozarks."

The fabric squares were distributed to students—along with fabric pens—and the students began creating.

"I received all of the squares back and I laid them out to create the flag, but I had over 60 squares left that the kids had done, and I didn't want those to be set aside, so at the last minute, I decided to make it a double-sided banner," said Schulz. "Originally, the project was called Freedom Flag. So, I created a design with the colors that were left, and it became Freedom Flag and Fireworks. "

The inspiration for the project came when Schulz and her husband Glenn, Branson Alderman for Ward 2, took a trip to Crystal Bridges in Arkansas, to see their display, Common Threads, honoring America's 250th Birthday. There she saw quilters who had used local youth to help with a project celebrating the state of Arkansas. Seeing that, Schulz believed she could create something similar to pay tribute to America's milestone birthday. The trip was in late May, and when Beth returned to Branson, she thought more about the quilted piece she envisioned, drawing her plans on graph paper to determine how big the banner could be and how many squares of fabric it would entail.  

"I made a call to Alex Williams, who teaches Flag Etiquette at College of the Ozarks, because my idea wasn't a true flag and I didn't want to disrespect the flag," Schulz explained. "The stars were really squares, and I wanted 24 because Missouri is the 24th state in the Union, and I wanted to represent that. He gave me the go-ahead that this wasn't being disrespectful at all. He then called the three schools I wanted to contact. He called me back and said they were all on board. I said 'Great, I will contact them in September,' thinking that I could have this banner ready for November's Veterans' Day Parade. He said, 'No, this should be ready for the 250th in July.' " 

Now looking forward to a July completion for the project, Schulz contacted the director of the Library Center of the Ozarks, asking if the banner could be displayed there over the 4th of July.

"Then Glenn said, 'We have a Flag Day Parade this year. You should get it done for that,' " Schulz recalled. "Alex Williams agreed that it was a great idea."

Schulz rushed to shop for fabric, cut it and gave the squares to Williams to distribute to the three schools the following day. Then she waited to receive the squares decorated by the children. Two of the schools got back to Schulz with their completed artwork in mere days, but she didn't receive the fabric blocks from the third school until Wednesday, prior to the Sunday evening parade.

"Those students came up with some beautiful artwork," Schulz noted. "I wanted to show it all. My real purpose in this was so the children, when they have kids and grandkids, can look back and say 'I was part of the 250th celebration.’ I want them to have that sense of 'I was a part of this. I helped create a flag that was carried in the parade.’”

The students, in third through seventh grades were given guidelines that simply asked them to represent, with a symbol or a word, what the 250th Birthday meant to them—what our country meant to them—and the responses were spectacular.

Said Schulz, "Some beautiful heads of eagles, beautiful peace doves. We had liberty bells, we had a lot of American flags, fireworks. There were the words 'Freedom,' 'Liberty,' 'I love being an American.' There was such a variety, I couldn't even list them all. There were so many."

Schulz worked day and night to complete the banner in time for the Flag Day event.  She also contacted the three area schools who participated in the project, who reached out to students---now on summer vacation—asking for volunteers to walk with their flag in the Flag Day parade.  

"We had seven children in the parade, and the children held the banner, as well as signs explaining the project," Schulz explained. "They were fabulous. They were smiling and waving and saying 'Happy Flag Day.' It was really nice to see."

Sunny, AnnaBeth, Rynn, Reid, Jenna, Gage and Sawyer represented their respective schools by carrying the Freedom Flag and Fireworks banner in the Flag Day parade

The flag banner is on display in the Friends of the Library Book Store, located in the lower level of the Library Center of the Ozarks, with both sides clearly visible.  

"It will be on display all summer at the Book Store," said Schulz. "And, then, my hope is that each of the three schools that participated will have it, once school starts again, so they can take turns displaying it, for the children that participated, and for the rest of the school to see."

Schulz added, "I've always been patriotic. My dad was a World War II vet. But, living in Branson has really put it into my heart more. Branson is so patriotic. We have the Veterans Memorial Garden, we have the statues and we have the museums. I've visited all of those, and it gave me a new perspective on what my dad went through. I feel it's so important for the kids, for me, for all of us to take this to heart and to really embrace what it means—and how fortunate we are—to have the freedom we enjoy and to live in America."