Daily Herald opinion: Thank a volunteer: They make your suburban Fourth of July events possible

If you are in Wheaton this week and moved by the sight of 2,026 carefully aligned American flags fluttering in the wind, take time to thank a volunteer.

If you are enjoying Arlington Heights’ 50th Frontier Days festival with your family or another weekend fest nearby, take time to thank a volunteer.

And if you attend a patriotic parade in any of the suburban towns hosting them Saturday, take time to thank a volunteer.

Without volunteers, none of what we enjoy so much about Fourth of July celebrations in the suburbs would be possible.

Long before the calendar flips to summer, volunteers are behind the scenes planning festivals, recruiting parade floats, preparing honors for our veterans. They’re organizing ceremonies and 5K runs and bags tournaments.

As the Fourth dawns, they’re at Independence Day parades, regardless of heat, to make sure everything runs smoothly. They’re directing traffic, playing in community bands and doing whatever else the day demands.

They’re on site early — and on site late — to make sure July 4 and the days leading up to it are special for their town’s residents.

This year, volunteers and staff worked extra hard to honor America’s 250th birthday. Some towns added events; others built up the size of their fireworks displays.

All want to make their communities proud.

As the annual Wheaton Field of Honor setup began Monday, about 80 volunteers worked in the heat to create twenty-five 800-foot rows for flags flying in remembrance of veterans, current service members or other friends and family members that participants chose to honor, our Rick West reported earlier this week. Organizer Rudy Keller puts in long days and nights even before the first flag is placed, and about 200 volunteers are involved throughout.

“It’s very cool to be part of this because of the way it makes people feel,” he said. “And the enthusiasm of all the volunteers that come out, even in this heat, keeps it from ever getting old.”

Among those volunteering were Kevin Beck and his 13-year-old son Doug of Wheaton. Kevin said his family had visited and bought flags for years but volunteered this year in honor of the 250th and to share with his son “the lessons I was taught as a kid.”

Those lessons reinforce the importance of giving back to your village and contributing to what makes it special.

If you plan to enjoy what your community has to offer in the coming days, consider joining the Becks and other families to make the magic happen. Check your fest’s website to see if organizers are still seeking volunteers or offer help when you get there.

And if this year won’t work, pledge to get involved in any number of other community gatherings made possible by the devotion of volunteers.

Then, maybe next year, a local family will thank you.