Celebrating 250 Years with Patriotic Flag Displays
This summer, the Chippewa Valley will come alive with patriotic pride as the Sunrise Exchange Club partners with the Chippewa Valley Veterans Tribute to celebrate the 250th anniversary of the United States.
At the heart of this celebration is a series of inspiring “Field of Flags” displays, designed to honor our nation’s history while paying tribute to those who have served and protected it.
A Community-Wide Celebration
The Field of Flags will be featured at three major events, bringing a powerful visual presence to some of the area’s most well-attended gatherings:
🎶 Summer Jam – Eau Claire
June 19–20
Flags will line the entrance drive, creating a dramatic and meaningful welcome for festivalgoers.
🎼 Community Orchestra Sing-Along
July 2 | Veterans Park, Altoona
The display will surround the park’s scenic pond near the main flag, offering a reflective and patriotic setting for this beloved community event.
🎵 Country Jam – Eau Claire
July 16–18
Returning once again, the Field of Flags will greet attendees along the entrance drive, reinforcing the spirit of the celebration.
Honoring Service and Sacrifice
These displays are more than just a visual tribute—they represent the courage, dedication, and sacrifice of:
Military Veterans
First Responders
Local heroes who serve our communities every day
As we commemorate 250 years of American independence, the Field of Flags stands as a reminder of the enduring values that unite us.
Get Involved
Community members are invited to support this meaningful initiative and learn more about how they can contribute.
👉 Visit the Field of Flags campaign page:
https://www.chippewavalleyveterans.org/field-of-flags-2026
Coming Events
⚾ Sunday at the Ballpark
Sunday, July 19, 2026 | 2:05 PM
Carson Park
Join your fellow Sunrise Exchange members for a fun afternoon of baseball as the Eau Claire Express take on the Rochester Honkers in an exciting division matchup. Enjoy great company, America’s favorite pastime, and cheer on the hometown team at beautiful Carson Park.
🐟 Marlon’s Marvelous Fish Boil
Monday, August 10, 2026 | 4:00–7:00 PM
River View Park – North Pavilion
One of Sunrise Exchange’s favorite summer traditions returns! Come enjoy Marlon’s famous fish boil, relax with friends, and celebrate another great summer together.
The club provides the fish. Please bring a salad or dessert to share.
🌞 Annual Club Picnic
Monday, August 24, 2026 | Noon–5:00 PM
Hosted by Tim Bauer – Lake Holcombe
Lunch Served at 1:00 PM
Spend a relaxing day with fellow members and families at our annual club picnic on beautiful Lake Holcombe. Tim Bauer is once again graciously providing the meat and beverages.
Please bring a salad or dessert to share as we enjoy an afternoon of food, fellowship, and lakeside fun.
🇺🇸 One Nation Under God Veterans Breakfast
Wednesday, November 11, 2026 | 6:30 AM
VFW – Starr Avenue
Join Sunrise Exchange as we honor the men and women who have served our nation during our annual One Nation Under God Veterans Breakfast.
The program begins at 6:30 AM with opening by Master of Ceremonies Jay Boulay, an invocation by Tim Bauer, and event coordination by Dick Freitag. This meaningful community tradition recognizes the sacrifices and service of our local veterans.
🎄 Annual Christmas Party
Tuesday, December 8, 2026 | 5:00 PM
Hangar 54 – Chippewa Valley Regional Airport
Celebrate the holiday season with your Sunrise Exchange family at our annual Christmas Party. Enjoy an evening of great food, fellowship, and holiday cheer as we wrap up another successful year of service.
Please bring a salad or dessert to share.
Event organizer: Jay Boulay.
We look forward to celebrating the season with you!
Cycling 3,000 Miles to Help Others!
Imagine riding a bicycle 3,000 miles from San Diego, CA to St. Augustine, FL.
Perry Kuznar is doing such a thing, and he is looking forward to the challenge. He will be averaging 60 to 80 miles a day and will be on his bike for almost two months starting October second.
Perry is the President of Sunrise Exchange Club of Eau Claire and has been a member for over 37 years.
This ride was supposed to be a retirement personal challenge. He likes to ride bicycles but never had time to ride any more than just a day or two at a time. Retirement solved his time challenge.
It dawned on him that he could help people in need with the ride, rather than just get a great deal of exercise. He reached out to non-profit organizations Sunrise Exchange worked with and offered a fundraising opportunity. He would ride and the non-profits could ask their supporters to donate to them in support of the ride.
Perry came up with a simple “Penny a Mile” pledge request. For 3,000 miles, that is $30.00. A relatively easy amount to ask for.
The Route
The route is 3,000 miles long, from San Diego, CA, to St. Augustine, FL. It was designed by an organization called Adventure Cycling Association. They publish detailed paper and digital GPS route maps.
Perry will use the digital GPS maps with his on-board navigation screen (think bike version of your car’s nav screen). The paper maps will be carried as a backup. The routes are designed to use back roads, in case you were wondering. Bikes are not normally allowed on interstate highways.
To follow the ride, Perry will be posting a daily update starting in September. It will feature preparation before the ride and details of each day’s ride after he hits the road. See “Perry and Kathy’s Southern Tier Adventure” on the “Crazy Guy on a Bike” website.
www.crazyguyonabike.com/perrykuznar2025
Mission Accomplished!
On Friday, November 21st, 2025, our club president, Perry Kuznar, maneuvered his recumbent bicycle to a stop at St. John’s Pier in St. Augustine, Florida. This was his final stop on a 44-day trip that took him across the United States. Perry departed San Diego California on October 2nd, and pedaled 3,141 miles, crossing 8 states, to get to his Florida destination.
Perry’s wife Kathy handled the trip logistics and towed their home-away-from-home tear-drop trailer for this adventure.
While Perry was fulfilling a personal goal to ride across the country, he was also riding to raise money for some local charities. By the end of the ride, donations totaled over $13,000.00 for the Sunrise Exchange Club, Hope Gospel Mission, Chippewa Valley Veterans Tribute, and Perry’s personal church, Immaculate Conception Parish.
Perry wrote a daily trip blog which can be found here: crazyguyonabike.com/perrykuznar2025.
On behalf of Sunrise Exchange and all the non-profits Perry rode for, we want to thank all the donors for their generosity. The funds raised are going to help others in these various organizations.
Wrapping Your Gifts for the Holiday!
Sunrise Exchange, in conjunction with the Chippewa Valley Boys and Girls Club, will once again be wrapping gifts for busy Christmas shoppers at Oakwood Mall from December 10th through the 24th.
Hours are 10 AM to 10 PM every day, closing at 6PM on Christmas eve.
If your organization can help with this project, we offer a direct portion of the proceeds back for the number of hours worked. Please use this link to sign up for the shifts you would like to work: Sunrise Exchange Gift Wrap Sign-Up 2025
This is a fund-raiser for the clubs and a community service.
