To call Allysa Lynhart patriotic would be an understatement.
Lynhart, who lives in Bremerton, is the founder of the Freedom Heroes USA foundation. The foundation is a tribute to all the men and women who have served, are serving, and will serve in the Armed Forces of the United States.
“We need to bring our communities together by showing gratitude to our nation’s greatest heroes,” Lynhart said. “It’s time we recognize those who have served and who are serving.”
To that end, Lynhart, who is married to an Air Force Major, created the Freedom Heroes USA project. It began with a flag.
“The idea was to create a flag that could fly alongside the American flag,” she said. “This Freedom Heroes Flag would just be a reminder of our support, honor and respect to all who have served or who are serving this country.”
By hand, she stitched together a prototype flag. She wanted to have an American Bald Eagle in the center of the flag and went to work looking for just the right eagle.
She found the perfect rendition of an eagle in a photograph by Ray Barlow who gave his permission for her to use the image. From the prototype, she has had more flags made. The original may be given to the Smithsonian.
Freedom Heroes flags have flown at several veterans celebrations including on Memorial Day and Flag Day at the Ivy Green Cemetery in Bremerton. It was first flown at the Veterans Center at Olympic College on May 17, 2011 and dedicated the following day.
Her hope is to see this flag fly in all 50 states. She has received word that it will fly at the Ground Zero museum as well.
Lynhart’s love of those who serve also led her to create another flag, the First Responder’s Flag. This flag bears the uniform patches of the police, firefighters, EMTs, sheriff’s deputies and State troopers who serve in Washington state. It has a blue background and bears the words: “First Responders serve and care, respond and protect.”
“When I learned that police and sheriff’s deputies, fire and rescue can’t be recognized under a military flag, I knew I had to create a flag of their own,” she said.
It took her more than a year to come up with the design.
As a nonprofit, she does what she can with the donations she receives. One of the things she made sure of was that all her flags are completely manufactured in the USA.
“It may mean we spend a bit more,” she said. “But it’s important to me.”
Another part of her work is her plans for veterans healing centers.
“I want to have one in every one of the 50 states,” she said. “These would be places where veterans, active duty personnel and first responders can go to get the care and support they need.”
Lynhart received a donation of property in Orting for a center and plans are underway for buildings. It will be named The Freedom Heroes USA Optimal Wellness Complex and will include services such as medical care, holistic work including massage, acupuncture, chiropractic care and nutrition information.
The complex will have a fitness center, spa pools, areas for arts and crafts and even accommodations to care for military service dogs. Housing will be available for injured service personnel to regain the skills needed to live on their own.Opportunities for job training are planned as well.
Lynhart knows it may be some time before all her dreams for helping those who serve may come to pass. So, for right now, it’s enough just to see the flags she crafted fly. On a recent sunny afternoon, she sat at Ivy Green Cemetery looking up at her flags.
“These flags should be flown together,” she said. “These flags support our troops. They are a way of saying ‘thank you’ to the first responders and all of those who serve, so that when they see them they can know our pasion for what they do for us to be free.”
To find out more, go to www.freedomheroesusa.com.