Submitted by BP Cherry Creek Refinery
Each year on Memorial Day, Greenacres Memorial Park in Ferndale, Washington, hosts the Festival of Flags to honor living and fallen service members.
For the third consecutive year, BP employees and their families will be giving their support to this event, helping with the setup and take down of more than 1,700 flags within the park. As a proud supporter of American military personnel both during and after their time in uniform, BP’s commitment to veterans does not stop there.
BP employs about 800 people at its Cherry Point Refinery in Blaine, Washington. Nearly 100 of those employees have served or are still serving in the U.S. Armed Forces. Their time in the military helped shape the experience and skills they bring daily to a refinery that is an important contributor to the economy of the Pacific Northwest — and America. BP is committed to recruiting veterans for refinery jobs and fostering a culture that aligns with shared values.
“I believe veterans embrace BP values such as safety, respect, excellence, courage and one team — which are core values in the U.S. Armed Forces,” said Detrick Grimes, U.S. Air Force veteran, BP Veterans Business Resource Group (BRG) co-lead, and sourcing & contracting procurement team lead at BP Cherry Point Refinery.
The BP Veterans BRG supports veteran outreach and recruiting activities, and also hosts a day of remembrance at BP Cherry Point Refinery to coincide with Veterans Day. Most recently, the Veterans BRG partnered with Growing Veterans, a local nonprofit that empowers military veterans to grow food in order to support their communities and each other.
The refinery donated six mules (small motorized utility vehicles) to Growing Veterans, which are now being used on the organization’s farms in Whatcom, Skagit and King counties. Much of the harvested food is donated to local food banks or sold at farmers markets to raise funds for treating post-traumatic stress disorder and other issues faced by veterans transitioning back into to civilian life.
The public is welcome to join the Festival of Flags ceremony at Greenacres Memorial Park on Memorial Day. The festival of music and food kicks off at 12:00 p.m., and the remembrance ceremony begins at 2:00 p.m.
