Providence, RI. October 25, 2016 – After an 18-month journey spanning more than 300,000 miles, we announce that The Flag for Hope is complete. The Flag for Hope is the centerpiece of a non-political social movement to promote unity, honor and peace. More than 3,700 Americans placed their finger and hand prints in acrylic paint on canvas to create a giant 9’x5’ image of the American flag. The 50 Stars on the flag were personally painted by iconic Americans, including such notables as Muhammad Ali, Sandra Day O’Connor, Roger Staubach, Gloria Estefan, Jack Nicklaus, Smokey Robinson, Billie Jean King and Tom Selleck.

“This truly is a National Treasure,” says Executive Director, Chris Cavedon. “This Flag represents the spirit of America and clearly demonstrates that we are one country, one people. The Flag for Hope includes people of all races, all ages, all economic circumstances… from a homeless veteran in New Orleans to a Nobel Prize winner in Massachusetts.” The final hand impression on The Flag for Hope was placed by Assistant Chief of the Dallas Police Department, Christina Smith, on September 18, 2016 in Dallas, TX.

 

“There was no more fitting place to end our journey than Dallas,” says Cavedon. “One of our core principles is to honor the contribution and sacrifice of active military, veterans, and first responders. Earlier this year, Dallas suffered an unthinkable tragedy with the murder of 5 police officers. We chose to hold our closing ceremony there to support the work being done in Dallas to unite and heal the community.”

 

The Flag for Hope will embark on national museum tour beginning in Fall/Winter 2017. The exhibit will feature a highly interactive experience leveraging a huge catalog of more than 100,000 images, and over 1000 hours of video footage shot during the creation of the Flag for Hope. After its nationwide tour, the Flag for Hope will go on permanent exhibit at a National Museum to be preserved for future generations of Americans.

About The Flag for Hope

The Flag for Hope Promotes Unity, Honor, and Peace for All Americans. The blue field and red and white stripes were created by more than 3,700 Americans, including 500+ veterans, hundreds of police, fire and rescue, numerous Olympians and notable sports figures, business leaders, community leaders, pioneers in medicine and science, and everyday American patriots. Most of the Flag for Hope’s hand and finger impressions were painted at churches, community centers, veteran’s centers, schools, colleges, hospitals, parks, and other places where communities gather for a shared purpose. The 50 Stars on The Flag for Hope were personally painted by 50 Iconic Americans, chosen for both their individual achievements and their exceptional service to others.

The 50 Flag for Hope Stars

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Each Flag for Hope star individually painted his or her star and signed the back of the canvas:
1. Senator John McCain
2. Justice Sandra Day O’Connor
3. Muhammad Ali
4. Battalion Chief Jack Pritchard
5. Lee Ielpi
6. John Mara
7. Bonnie Blair
8. Nadia Comaneci & Bart Connor
9. George Foreman
10. Bob Wieland
11. Randy White
12. Helene Neville
13. Eric Heiden
14. Kris Kristofferson
15. Alan Hassenfeld
16. Captain Florent Groberg
17. SECRET STAR
18. Bill Walton
19. Ann Meyers Drysdale
20. Anita L. DeFrantz
21. Richard “Dick” Enberg
22. Lieutenant Brian Sweeney
23. Dr. Leonard Bailey
24. Tom Dreesen
25. Gary Keller
26. Ronnie Lott
27. Mike Love
28. Rick & Dick Hoyt
29. Billie Jean King
30. Bill Self
31. Pat Boone
32. Rafer Johnson
33. Tom Selleck
34. Jackie Joyner Kersee
35. Dr. Craig Mello
36. Gloria & Emilio Estefan
37. Tamika Catchings
38. Smokey Robinson
39. Andy Garcia
40. Admiral Patrick M. Walsh
41. Jack Nicklaus
42. Lieutenant General Michelle Johnson
43. Carlos Santana
44. Harvey Mackay
45. Roger Staubach
46. General Tom Ryan
47. Sergeant Melvin Morris
48. Major General James Livingston
49. Brigadier General Michael Neil
50. General Colin Powell

To learn more, visit www.flagforhope.com

To take the Flag for Hope Pledge, visit www.flagforhope.com/pledge