5,000 names, all peeled and attached to a 16 foot by 40 foot canvas.
“This is really huge, and cool,” said National Guard Youth Council member Rayna Goodin.
Organizers are calling it the world’s largest thank you card, but instead of civilians thanking servicemen and women, this time it is the other way around.
“They say thank you to us so often, we felt it was time to turn the tables and say, ‘No, thank you. You are worth the fight and worth the effort,’” said Major Shawn Gardner
Taylor Sumner said his mind is almost always on the military. His brother is currently serving, and so is his father. For Taylor, the rows of names hold a special place in his heart.
“I am thinking about all the names that these name tapes came from,” he said. “I think about how much they sacrificed on a daily basis, how much their families sacrifice, and just all the good they do for the state of Indiana.”
The individual name tapes spell out a collective “thank you.” Major Gardner said he hopes the huge banner will in some small way get the point across.
You can see the giant card at this year’s State Fair. Other veterans throughout the state are being invited to add their Velcro name tapes and mementos to the display.
