Huskers' Gold Star Guests to Unleash Gold Balloons

Randy York N-Sider

Official Blog of the Huskers

One of the best things about Nebraska is its ability to illuminate and enhance everything around it, even when that means a brief change of the color scheme right before the Huskers host unbeaten Michigan State Saturday night at Memorial Stadium.

Immediately following the National Anthem, 35 children will unleash gold balloons into the Nebraska sky at dusk, painting a compelling picture for another NCAA record sellout crowd in a truly rare opportunity inside the stadium. Who knows? Perhaps other fans will see such a sight on ESPN’s national telecast.

The children, all Nebraskans, will let the gold balloons go to honor their fathers, who died in wars in Iraq and Afghanistan. Standing alongside them will be 22 mothers, who lost their husbands in those wars. Since 2001, an estimated 5,000 American children have lost a parent in those two wars, and the University of Nebraska is proud to host and to honor kids and their mothers, who will experience a very special Saturday.

Gold Star Children Honor Flight Will Stop in Omaha and Lincoln

The Gold Star Children Honor Flight will use the same plane that Michigan State's football team will use to fly to Omaha Friday. There will be a ceremonial sendoff for the Gold Star Children at Omaha’s Eppley Airport Saturday morning. Following a 9:15 a.m. patriotic tribute, the young honorees will get the thrill of a short flight and land at 11 a.m. at Lincoln Airport.

Organizers have lined up crowds to welcome the Gold Star Children, most of whom are 6 to 14-years-old. Girl Scouts, Boy Scouts, Lincoln High vocal groups and the Lincoln Northeast High School junior ROTC squad will throw out the second welcome mat, along with volunteer help from a number of Lincoln sororities and fraternities.

Family members and volunteers will have their pictures taken on the plane’s tarmac in Lincoln, then board buses for a “Remembering Our Fallen” memorial ceremony at the University of Nebraska Military Science (ROTC) Building at noon. Each child will have the opportunity to place a rose by his or her father’s memorial photo.

Special Guest Children, Mothers Invited to the Governor’s Mansion

Later Saturday afternoon, the Gold Star Children will meet Nebraska Governor Pete Ricketts at the Governor’s Mansion and tour Morrill Hall and UNL’s State Museum across the street from the ROTC Building. A couple of hours before kickoff, notes will be written and attached to gold balloons to launch before the game.

The Gold Star Children/guests and their mothers/widows will walk to Memorial Stadium at 4:30 p.m. and will be honored during Saturday night’s Husker-Spartan game.

An Omaha nonprofit organization, managed by Bill and Evonne Williams, is making a game day dream come true for Gold Star Children. The couple also organizes expense-paid trips to Washington, D.C., for thousands of World War II and Korean War veterans.

To understand the force behind Gold Star Children, check out this trailer, showing hope overtaking tragedy. The documentary takes an intimate look at American children who have lost a parent to war. The film also features a woman who lost her father in Vietnam four decades ago and a young girl (pictured below), whose father was killed in Iraq.

Children Reflect How America Understands Those Who Sacrifice

Gold Star Children reflect how America understands those who sacrifice in service to their country and the children and families they leave behind. Red balloons will fly the second the Huskers score their first points Saturday night because it’s a longtime tradition. Rest assured, however, that this will be one game when gold deserves to share the spotlight and inspire what the color truly means – generous, giving, compassionate and loving…Go Big Red!

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