4 minute read
Former ENMU Student Finds a Way to Support the Troops
By Toni Carrasco
LuWanda Ford (Attended 68-70) from Clovis, is spearheading a project to provide every deployed soldier with a little piece of home by way of a pocket-sized flag to carry.
Originally from Clovis, and a graduate of Monzano High School in Albuquerque, LuWanda chose to attend ENMU for its small town atmosphere. While attending ENMU, she received a scholarship to pursue studies in home economics and participated in organizations that included the Newman Club at St. Helens Catholic Church. She also held three work-study positions in various campus offices in order to fund her college career.
After attending ENMU for two years, LuWanda found that she was being called to do something else and decided to leave the university and go to work for the Federal Government. While employed by the Federal government she worked for many offices including the Federal Bureau of Investigation and Congress. Although serving the government in Washington, D.C. gave LuWanda a great sense of fulfillment, it was not her ideal home, so she decided to move to Colorado. There she completed her bachelor’s degree at the Fort Collins branch of Colorado State University.
She chose to run home-based businesses so she could be a stay at home mother to her son Charley. It was because of Charley that LuWanda discovered what seemed to be a simple patriotic community service project at the time, The Pocket Flag Project.
The Pocket Flag Project is a nationwide, non-profit initiative to send folded pocket sized flags to soldiers who are deployed in various parts of the world defending the United States. This project was conceived by LuWanda after she attended a Cub Scout Leadership training and witnessed what she recalls as a “very moving” flag retirement ceremony. At that same training LuWanda also attended a flag etiquette class where leaders discussed ways to instill patriotism in children. It was after hearing the testimony of two war veterans regarding their personal pocket flags that she felt a need to create a project for her husband Leonard’s Cub Scout troop.
Shortly after the training’s culmination, LuWanda and her family headed out on a road trip, which gave her 14 hours to formulate a plan. She decided to have the children fold pocket sized flags and send them to troops who were on the front line, “defending the U.S. and risking their lives for our freedom.”
Upon her return home, LuWanda found a flag fabric and cut out 100 flags for her husband’s troop to fold and send to soldiers. She recalls that the boys folded only about twenty flags before their hands got tired, so she and another mother completed the rest.
Each flag includes an inscription card which reads, “A flag for your pocket so you can always carry a little piece of home. We are praying for you and we are proud of you. Thank you for defending our country and our freedom.”
LuWanda also encourages individuals who participate in the project to write notes or sign the inscription card in order to add a personal touch.
LuWanda also encourages individuals who participate in the project to write notes or sign the inscription card in order to add a personal touch.
From this humble beginning, The Pocket Flag Project has expanded nation-wide. With the help of a website created by LuWanda in November of 2001, there are currently Pocket Flag Project Participants in all 50 states as well as numerous other countries.
The project has been responsible for the shipment of over 2 million flags to the United States frontlines. Although the project has seen great success, LuWanda did face many trials that threatened the operation. However, she claims that, “With God’s guidance we were able to keep the project going.”
When asked where she would like to see the project in the next five years, LuWanda stated, “I would like it to be done and over with, and I would like all of out troops to be home.”
Pocket Flags are available to those troops who are serving our country overseas on the front lines.
If anyone would like to get involved with the Pocket Flag Project, please visit www.pocketflagproject.com.
