“During the few years allotted to each of us we are the guardians of the earth. We are at once the custodians of our heritage, the caretakers of our future.”

James Michener used these words to introduce Centennial, his epic story of the American West. As we approach Veterans Day and the dedication of Veterans Way and the downtown flags, I’ve returned to this quote over and over again. As Michener stated, our time here is temporary and one of the key challenges we face is how we treat the rich legacy we have inherited. That legacy could be the in the land we live on, in our heritage of liberty and democracy, or it could even be the city we worked to establish in 1990.

The challenge for us, in our time here, is to protect the legacy, while preparing to pass it down to future generations. The duty of stewardship implies that we leave this place in better condition than how we received it.

There is no greater example of stewardship and sacrifice than that of America’s veterans for our nation’s freedom and ideals. Our responsibility as a community is to find a way to honor this sacrifice for which we owe so much.

On Tuesday, Nov. 11 at 11 a.m. the community will gather with their elected representatives to celebrate the veterans of our armed services. We’ll gather in the Sears parking lot with marching bands, a ceremony honoring MIA/POWs and speeches from veterans and officials.

The centerpiece of the event will be the dedication of the 15 by 25-foot flag and 60-foot flagpole recently installed in the median of South 320th Street at Pacific Highway. In addition, we have bestowed the honorary designation “Veterans Way” on the downtown stretch of 320th and installed 30 American flags on either side of the street.

This is stewardship of the proud legacy of sacrifice and heroism made by our veterans for this country. In over two centuries of American history, veterans of the United States Armed Forces have fought on battlefields around the globe to protect our country and our democratic freedoms. They fought to end slavery at home and defeated fascism in Europe and the Pacific. Their peacetime presence in places like South Korea and the former West German Republic have kept tyranny in check. Their contributions to our country, indeed to the world, is beyond imagination.

I want to personally thank longtime resident Bob Kellogg for creating the vision for this project. When we met earlier this year, he convinced me of the vision of a downtown that proudly communicated this community’s respect for veterans.

Now, when residents or visitors exit Interstate 5 onto 320th the first thing they’ll see is the gleaming white 60-foot flagpole crowned by Old Glory. Driving through the downtown, they’ll continue to see the red, white & blue of street flags displayed from the street poles. Beneath the intersection signs for S. 320th, special blue signs will display the street’s honorary name.

Veterans Way and the downtown flags are not just about honoring the past. This is a testament that will stand the test of time and reach into the future. They will be here decades from now, thanking new generations of veterans and teaching our children and their children about the critical role veterans play in preserving liberty.

This is a statement for the future, as much as it is an acknowledgement of history.

Reflecting on Michener’s quote, there is another powerful element of stewardship at play. Beyond Veterans Way, downtown flags and the Veterans Day event, this all points to a fundamental new way of looking at Federal Way’s downtown. For years, people have joked “where’s downtown?”

The answer is downtown is where Veterans Way and the flagpole are.

Downtown is where Town Square Park is. Downtown is where they’re building the Performing Arts and Conference Center. And more is to come! Downtown is no longer a question. It’s becoming the beating heart of this city, and a source of pride. We are building a legacy of a downtown that future generations look on with pride.

The flag symbolizes our freedom and strength, and it embodies our respect for our veterans. Our new downtown flags will demonstrate a visible reminder of these national qualities at the same time they reflect Federal Way’s newfound energy and momentum.

As the flag rises above our downtown, it serves as a clarion call that Federal Way is on the rise.

Jim Ferrell is the mayor of Federal Way.