A fallen soldier statue was donated by Christian Fox of Delran in memory of her husband Bill, a West Jersey Rotarian who died in 2023.
Some 60 American flags displayed in front of the Delran municipal building were flying wildly and proudly in a gusty, cold wind on Veterans Day to honor vets from the town.
Due to the weather, officials moved the annual Flags for Heroes commemoration inside to the building’s warm lobby, where the 40 residents in attendance could still see the flags.
“Today is a day to say thank you to our veterans,” said guest speaker Councilman Lynn Jeney. “Look at the flags behind us. They are a perfect backdrop for our veterans and they represent the sacrifice of our veterans and their families.”
Mayor Barnes Hutchins welcomed everyone.
“Freedom is never free,” he emphasized. “Today we thank our veterans, who have personified the highest values of duty, honor and service. God bless our veterans and the United States of America.”
Council President Tom Lyon said it was a personal privilege for him to remember and honor the service of veterans, explaining that his father and his wife’s father were both World War II vets and his brother is a Marine.
“Veterans miss birthdays and holidays with their families,” he pointed out. “They have an inner strength and build bonds with their fellow veterans that last for a lifetime. The freedom to gather here today exists because of our veterans, and they bring valuable skills to their communities.”
The next speaker was Clark Daugherty, president of the Burlington City-based West Jersey Rotary Club. On Nov. 8, club members put up the 60 flags in front of Delran’s town hall, creating the Flags for Heroes Field of Honor as part of the township’s annual Veterans Day observance. The flags remained on display through Nov. 14.
“It is our duty to support our veterans,” noted Daugherty, who served in the Air Force for 20 years. He thanked Jeney and Hutchins “for their continued support of our West Jersey Rotary Club projects.”
He pointed out that many veterans rely on government benefits to feed themselves and that too many of them are homeless. Daugherty then thanked everyone who sponsored a flag to honor a hero in their lives.
The nationwide Rotary Flags for Heroes’ mission is “to honor and recognize local heroes by flying American flags sponsored in their names, while raising funds for local community service projects.”
The program celebrates individuals in various roles, including military personnel, teachers, community leaders and first responders who put “service above self,” according to Daugherty.
Funds raised from the flag sponsorships help local Rotary Club projects, including helping people and veterans suffering from addiction, hunger and homelessness. The Flags for Heroes program also encourages community members to reflect on and recognize the heroes in their own lives and create an inspiring visual tribute.
An addition to the display of flags this year was a fallen soldier statue donated by Delran resident Christian Fox in memory of her husband Bill Fox, a Rotarian who died in 2023.
“This was his main project,” she explained. “He passed away two years ago and he never saw it. Thanks for allowing West Jersey Rotary to be a part of our community.”
The display of the flags flying proudly on the huge lawn in front of the municipal complex was likely seen by thousands of motorists on Chester Avenue between Route 130 and River Road.
Clark Daugherty, president of the West Jersey Rotary, speaks about the sacrifices made by veterans and their families during the Flag for Heroes Veterans Day ceremony on Nov. 11.
