For over 100 years, Phi Beta Sigma has been integral to the African-American community and its New Orleans chapter, Theta Beta Sigma, has a rich history of community engagement and service in New Orleans.

On June 17, Theta Beta Sigma conducted a brunch aimed at raising funds for scholarships and recognizing graduating male seniors with the fraternity’s Salute to the 100 Outstanding Minority Male Youth Program.

At Carrot-Top, one of the things we’re proudest of is being able to help communities with their town parks and memorials. Recently, we were able to do just that with Tyler Park in Dunn, NC.

Dunn is a town of about 10,000 people in the central part of the state; Tyler Park became the town’s first community park when it was constructed in the late 1950s. Tyler Park now boasts three new athletic fields, tennis and shuffleboard courts, a splash pad water play area and a “miracle” sports field designed specifically for special needs children.

Over the years, Tyler Park has been renovated and improved on, and today a Veteran’s Memorial Garden is the park’s proud centerpiece.

High on a hillside, a 760-square foot United States flag flies over Teague Park in Longview, TX. The flag overlooks a tranquil pond and fountain, picnic areas, barbecue grills, a hike-and-bike trail and an amphitheater where families enjoy live music in this sleepy East Texas town. There’s more to see in Teague Park than just that, however.

Several years ago, members of the local American Legion branch thought about the lack of any sort of memorial or remembrance of veterans in their area, and decided they should do something to remedy that.

The Historic Battle Grove Cemetery in Cynthiana, KY doesn’t let being in small town keep their patriotism on a small scale. Established in 1868, the cemetery has an extensive history and is the resting place of veterans who lived and died more than a century ago. For the past 15 years, local Boy Scout and Girl Scouts troops, along with their troop leaders, have placed Carrot-Top cemetery flags on the gravesites of veterans as a part of the Veteran’s Day program. According to Cemetery Superintendent Billy Grayson, “It’s thrilling to see boys and girls of all ages place flags on the graves of those who served our country long before the children were born. Having them here is like bringing the future to visit the past”. Boy and Girl Scout Troop Leaders thought the project would encourage community involvement and awareness, educate the scouts, and inspire civic responsibility.

Flags Across the Nation is a uniquely American organization that demonstrates the true colors of our nation’s heart at work and in action.  Established days after the polarizing terrorist attacks of September 11, 2001, Flags Across the Nation promotes patriotism through the soothing and comforting power of art. Part of the organization’s vision is to make “a creative and patriotic difference in the lives of our children, our military and our veterans” and its efforts work to bring that vision to fruition.  Run and operated solely by volunteers and completely funded through donations and in-kind gifts, Flags Across the Nation creates opportunities and events where children and soldiers may make patriotic expressions that offer support and bring about healing for our nation’s wounded warriors.