IN THIS ISSUE · SPRING 2026 — Read the cover story
For Jean and Dan Smith, community service has never been about recognition.
Instead, it has always been about creating opportunities to honor others, bring people together, and make a lasting difference.
That philosophy is perhaps best reflected in the Crossville Field of Honor, a project the couple helped bring to Cumberland County through the Lake Tansi Exchange Club. What began as a simple idea has become one of the community’s most meaningful annual tributes to veterans, drawing families, volunteers, businesses, and visitors together in a shared expression of gratitude.
Each November, hundreds of American flags stand proudly at Garrison Park, creating a powerful visual reminder of the men and women who have served our country. Behind that display is a story of vision, determination, and a couple who believed veterans deserved to be honored in a way that could be seen and felt by an entire community.
Jean and Dan moved to Cumberland County in 2019 after spending years living near Washington, D.C., and Louisville. Like many who relocate to the Upper Cumberland, they were drawn by the area’s natural beauty, slower pace of life, and proximity to family.
What they did not anticipate was how quickly they would become deeply invested in the community they now call home.
Not long after joining the Lake Tansi Exchange Club, Jean was introduced to the concept of a Field of Honor, a tribute event hosted by Exchange Clubs across the country. Curious to learn more, she and Dan traveled to the Donaldson-Hermitage area near Nashville to see one in person.
The experience left an immediate impression.
“Just driving up to it,” Jean recalls, “I said our veterans in Cumberland County deserve this.”
Standing before nearly a thousand American flags, each dedicated to a veteran, they knew they had found a project worth pursuing.
Bringing a Field of Honor to Cumberland County required far more than enthusiasm.
Jean spent months speaking with veterans’ organizations, civic groups, schools, churches, and local businesses, sharing the vision and inviting others to become part of it.
“I was somewhere once or twice a week talking about it,” she says.
As word spread, support began to grow.
Each sponsored flag would represent a specific veteran. Families would be able to walk through the display, find the flag honoring their loved one, and spend time reflecting on the sacrifices made in service to the nation.
At the conclusion of the event, every flag would be carefully folded and presented to the sponsoring family alongside a dedication plaque, creating a meaningful keepsake that extends beyond the event itself.
The community responded enthusiastically.
In its inaugural year, the project raised more than $60,000, far exceeding expectations and demonstrating how strongly local residents embraced the mission.
While fundraising has helped support important veterans’ services throughout the region, the Smiths say the most meaningful impact cannot be measured in dollars.
Throughout the week-long display, families quietly move among the rows of flags. Some search for specific names. Others simply pause to reflect.
Occasionally, those moments become unforgettable.
Jean recalls watching three generations of one family stand together at a flag dedicated to their loved one.
A grandfather, daughter, and granddaughter embraced one another as they reflected on the service represented before them.
Moments like that continue to remind the Smiths why the effort matters.
Although Jean and Dan helped launch the initiative, they are quick to credit the many people who have contributed to its success.
The Lake Tansi Exchange Club now includes approximately 50 members, supported by dozens of volunteers who help install flags, welcome visitors, and maintain the display throughout the event.
Local businesses have also played a significant role.
“The small business owners here have been incredible,” Jean says. “They’re the backbone of it.”
City leaders have partnered with organizers as well, helping improve infrastructure at Garrison Park to enhance accessibility, lighting, and security.
The support reflects something the Smiths have come to appreciate deeply about Cumberland County: people are willing to step forward when they see an opportunity to serve.
Over the past four years, the Crossville Field of Honor has generated more than $110,000 for local veterans’ organizations, helping support housing assistance, outreach efforts, transportation needs, and community programs.
Yet for Jean and Dan, the event represents something even larger.
It serves as a reminder that veterans’ needs do not disappear once military service ends.
“This is about remembering that veterans’ needs don’t go away,” Jean says. “Not after the war ends. Not after the headlines fade.”
Each year, school groups visit the display. Veterans share stories with younger generations. Families travel from neighboring communities to experience the field together.
Those conversations and connections help ensure that service and sacrifice remain visible long after Veterans Day has passed.
When the final flag is removed and Garrison Park returns to normal, the physical display may disappear, but its impact remains.
Families carry home stories.
Veterans receive recognition.
Community members gain a greater appreciation for the sacrifices made on their behalf.
For Jean and Dan Smith, that lasting impact is what matters most.
“If you want to help veterans, sometimes it’s hard to know where to start,” Dan says. “But when people see something like this, they understand how they can be part of it.”
Through their leadership, service, and commitment to honoring others, Jean and Dan have helped create more than an annual event.
They have helped build a legacy of gratitude for generations to come.
Written by Melissa Ellis
Photography by Amanda McGinnis
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