1. Each Memorial Day weekend, the Westerville Sunrise Rotary Club hosts the Field of Heroes. This event is an opportunity to honor your personal heroes - whoever they are... a family member; a friend; a veteran; a member of the armed services; a favorite teacher; a police officer; a firefighter or any other person who has made in impact on your life. The Field of Heroes offers a unique and moving way to honor your heroes by flying a flag with a custom tribute in a spectacular display of 3,000 American flags across from the Westerville Community Center. Standing 8 feet tall and measuring 3' x 5', the flags are situated in perfect rows to create an inspirational display that visually represents each individual hero joining together with others to form a community.

2. Established in 2009 as a fundraiser 1,500 flags in a rectangle Visitors purchase and dedicate flags for $30 Held an opening ceremony Repeated due to popular demand 5,000 to 10,000 visitors per year Increased to 2,500 flags in 2012 Added programs, community activities and complementary tributes since 2010 Traveling Vietnam Veterans Memorial Tenth anniversary of 9/11 WWII Wall of Stars

3. Became one of Westervilles largest events and attained a very high profile in Rotary International Each year, purchasers from more than a dozen different states shipped flags to as many as 90 zip codes in 19 states Garnered extensive media coverage each year Approximately 28 stories totaling more than 31 minutes of coverage for a total Nielsen audience of more than 2 million viewers Received coverage on WCOL, in local newspapers, and Columbus Dispatch

4. Required extraordinary volunteer support Numerous setup activities in the weeks leading up to the event Around-the-clock activity Friday AM through Monday PM More than 350 volunteer shifts, averaging 3 hours each, staffed by nearly 200 volunteers each year Treated as a self-sustaining community service activity of the Westerville Sunrise Rotary Foundation 70% of revenues from flag orders 5% miscellaneous 25% from business patron donations (patrons also provide in-kind goods / services)

5. Challenge: How do we turn a series of successful one-time events into a sustainable ongoing concern? Answer: Strategic / Business Planning

6. Mission / Vision Statement Guiding Principles 3-Year Strategic Plan Annual Event Business Plan

7. The Field of Heroes provides our community members with a unique and moving opportunity to honor the heroes in their lives - whether they are military, public safety, community volunteers or another kind of personal inspiration. The Field of Heroes has become the premier Memorial Day weekend event in central Ohio, and will continue to develop into an event that will be one of the Westerville community's signature events, will become a desired annual tradition for our guests, and will provide our volunteers with an experience they will never forget.

8. The meaning of the term hero and the connection of the event to Memorial Day is a personal value; by providing respectful opportunities to honor military, public service and other persons, the Field of Heroes provides guests the opportunity to personalize the event as they desire. The tone of the event is to be respectful, reverent and reflective; too much activity, too casual an atmosphere, or too prominent a corporate presence can distract from the core mission of the event, and will not be permitted. The club is responsible for delivering on the core functions of the Field. Additional supplemental activities may enhance the experience of being at the Field; however, to ensure core functions can be delivered at the highest level of quality, supplemental activities need to be developed and staffed by affiliate organizations, under the general direction of the committee.

9. To deliver on the event mission, it is important to ensure a positive environment: the Field of Heroes will not promote specific causes or affiliations, nor will it directly or indirectly endorse any particular political agenda. The primary intent of the event is to provide guests an opportunity to join fellow community members in reflecting on their personal heroes; other community events and organizations are important and well-intentioned; however, if they do not directly support the Field of Heroes programming plan, they may not have a presence at the event.

10. 1. Provide a unique and moving signature community event 2. Respectfully honor all heroes: fallen, living veterans and actively serving military, as well as public servants and civilians 3. Become a desired annual tradition for our guests 4. Provide volunteers with an experience they will never forget 5. Build and maintain a sustainable brand, organization and event business model

11. Strategies Tactics Responsible Present a spectacular visual display Display decorative flags down Cleveland Ave. and in north field, for a total of 3,000 flags Field Setup and Field Operations Provide a superior visitor experience Promote meaningful volunteer interaction with guests as guides, to take pictures, to welcome and invite guests to share stories Visitor Experience Enhance visitor comfort amenities, including shelter from the sun/heat Visitor Experience Enhance the visible environment, making back-of-the-house support operations as invisible as possible Visitor Experience, Field Operations 1. Provide a unique and moving signature community event

12. Strategies Tactics Responsible Supplement the flag field and on-stage programming with themed displays and activities supporting the event mission/vision Provide programming space and time slot for Boy Scouts flag retirement ceremony Community Engagement Provide opportunity for American Legion tribute to fallen troops Community Engagement Connect with military and public safety personnel and their families Provide meaningful flag donation opportunities that tie to the event mission and support related groups Community Engagement 2. Respectfully honor all heroes: fallen, living veterans and actively serving military, as well as public servants and civilians

13. Strategies Tactics Responsible Provide inspirational entertainment / informational programming opportunities at the event Present high-quality opening and closing ceremonies Programs Read names of all heroes honored daily Programs Present a Saturday evening concert targeted at families Programs Supplement programming with selected activities presented by others in support of the event mission/vision Tie-ins to Westerville history / heroes will be presented Community Engagement Partnering with other groups, provide an appropriate and exciting complementary feature event in conjunction with the flag display Select a feature that supports the event mission/vision, honoring military or other heroes Community Engagement Include elements of the complementary feature in on- stage programming Programs 3. Become a desired annual tradition for our guests

14. Strategies Tactics Responsible Effectively utilize the skills of volunteers Target recruitment to fill specific needs throughout the weekend Volunteer Services Provide opportunities for volunteers of various ages / capabilities Volunteer Services Reward those who choose to spend their valuable time volunteering at the Field Enhance volunteer comfort efforts Volunteer Services Provide recognition for return volunteers Volunteer Services 4. Provide volunteers with an experience they will never forget

15. Strategies Tactics Responsible Establish the Field of Heroes as the place to be during Memorial Day weekend Promote the event effectively and respectfully through social and traditional media Marketing, Media Relations and Social Media Leverage city and other community resources to promote the event Marketing Expand non-club sponsorships and donated services to create a sustainable financial structure Provide valuable recognition for patrons at the event, in print and with something they can display at their place of business Patron Relations Achieve flag sales targets (850 [purchases + donations + dedications]) Promote through ads and special event street team efforts Marketing and Media Relations Reduce errors in on-site and on-line order entry to reduce customer frustration Customer Service and Order Fulfillment Generate ancillary earned income to cover costs Generate revenue through ancillary sales and special events Customer Service and Race Team 5. Build and maintain a viable brand, organization and business model

16. 5. Build and maintain a viable brand, organization and business model Expand the capacity, image and sustainability of the committee and event Expand delegation of responsibilities and succession planning efforts, recruiting sub- committee leaders for commitments of 2 to 3 years Administration Engage community leaders from outside the club to serve on a Community Advisory Board, providing input, guidance and assistance to the committee Administration Leverage and enhance systems previously developed for flag assembly, field layout and construction, order processing, and field tear-down to continue to make operations more time and labor efficient Field Setup, Field Operations, Volunteer Services, Customer Service, Order Fulfillment

17. Committee / Staffing Plan Operations Plan Marketing Plan Financial Plan

18. www.fieldofheroes.org Fieldofheroes @FieldofheroesOH #fieldofheroes Fieldofheroes channel Field_of_Heroes_OH #fieldofheroes Westerville Sunrise Rotary