AMHERST — Behind each star lies a name and a story of service.
In an effort to honor local veterans, Rebecca Fricke, 48, of Amherst is meticulously stitching blue and gold fabric stars onto a red-and-white flag. So far she has about 20 people interested in being represented, and she hopes that number will grow.
“My only criteria: They consider themselves from Amherst and they served in some capacity,” she said, sitting and sewing at the Unitarian Universalist Society of Amherst on a recent afternoon.
The blue stars represent veterans of any era, while the gold stand for those who died in service.
Fricke and fellow members of the Western Massachusetts Fiber Artists are planning an exhibit at the Amherst History Museum that will run from May through September, full of artwork inspired by items in the museum’s collection.
Fricke said she was moved to begin her flag after seeing a World War I service banner made by the North Congregational Church. The flags, which first came into use during that conflict, are traditionally hung in windows to honor a family member serving in war.
“Wouldn’t it be cool if I made a service flag for all of Amherst?” she recalled thinking when she saw the museum piece, noting that more than 500 veterans currently reside in the town.
One Amherst veteran, Pete Rogers, 72, served in the U.S. Army during the Vietnam War in the late 1960s, but only recently began talking about his service.
“About five years ago, I came out as a veteran,” he said. “I’d been ashamed of it. Nobody ever asked me about it anyway, not even family.”
Encouraged by a fellow congregation member several years ago, Rogers delivered a Memorial Day sermon about grief and mourning, a reality check for some who typically associate the holiday with boisterous celebration, he said. He spoke about his guilt and learning to forgive himself, something he said he hopes all veterans are able to do at some point.
“I didn’t want anything to do with anyone in the military,” he said. “And now I reach out.”
It’s a difficult gap to bridge, one full of tough conversations. The Unitarian Universalist Society runs a veterans outreach program that emphasizes this sort of work, including a free community breakfast every Wednesday.
Gordon Wyse, 75, of Amherst said he decided to get involved because he knew very little about veterans and what they face upon returning home. “We’re looking for ways to relate to people coming home from overseas,” he said, noting that their work is all about building relationships.
Though many veterans live in town, their experiences often remain hidden, Fricke said. Complicating matters, at times, are pointed anti-war attitudes, particularly in a liberal town such as Amherst, and rivalries between the different branches of the military.
Fricke said she considered creating different banners for different eras, but decided against it.
“I’m putting everyone on the same flag,” she said. “Why judge one person’s service over another?”
Fricke began her effort to collect names last fall, during the Amherst Veterans Day festivities. She brought the Amherst History Museum’s World War I flag to the Town Common and announced her project, and later stopped by the VFW to meet local veterans and collect names of those interested in having their stories woven into the flag.
“I’m hoping this will keep the dialogue going,” Fricke said. “And people can be proud to have served.”
Stephanie McFeeters can be reached at smcfeeters@gazettenet.com.