Today we’d like to introduce you to Joanne Malmstedt.
Hi Joanne, thanks for joining us today. We’d love for you to start by introducing yourself.
It all started with a phone call to the cemetery in 2015 to ask how my children and I could volunteer to put flags out for Memorial Day as a teaching moment for my kids, so they could se who Memorial Day was for. I thought that they knew the difference between Veterans Day and Memorial Day and who each of them honored, but after a comment from my oldest daughter I realized they thought they were the same thing basically.
When I called the cemetery I was told “we no longer do that” and that was the only answer I got when asking how we could help. That is when I jumped on Facebook and told my friends what I had just learned and invited any others that wanted to join my kids and I in placing some small stick flags, still with the intention of showing my kids who Memorial Day is for.
There was a group of about 15 of us that went out to the cemetery Memorial Day morning and placed about 3,700 small stick flags that we had all purchased ourselves. While we were out there the local news crews were setting up in preparation for The ceremony that day. They asked what we were doing and asked me to do an interview. That article ran online and got such a great engagement from the readers, who many also did not know the flags were not being placed. When you think of a National Cemetery you just assume the flags are being placed and the Veterans are being honored as they are in Arlington National Cemetery.
A couple days after the article ran, I received a phone call from the Cemetery and was asked for an in person meeting. I thought I had done some very wrong. This meeting is what filled my sail with wind and left me saying “I’m gonna do this. I am going to make this happen.”
That next year we got our non-profits status so we could raise money for flags. In 2016 we placed 10,000 (27′ long flag staff) with the help of about 600 volunteers that showed up. The second year we placed 50,000 flags. The third year we blew up with eh help of local Media coverage and support that we were able to with very short notice cover the entire cemetery, at that time it was about 174,000 flags (If I can remember correctly).. Every year since then ( minus covid years) we have made sure that every veteran said to rest at Fort Snelling National Cemetery has been honored and remembered with an American flag being placed for them. They have so rightfully earned that.
Alright, so let’s dig a little deeper into the story – has it been an easy path overall and if not, what were the challenges you’ve had to overcome?
As you can imagine with something of this size there are definitely growing pains and lots of learning lessons as to what worked and what did not work.
Working in such a large area with the help of volunteers it was hard to find the perfect routine for the number of flags for each volunteer, how many volunteers do we need, what order should we place the flags, what times works for this to all happen, what if it rains, etc.
Along with that we also had to be quick on our feet and adapt rapidly to the growth and needs to sustain it. Where do we store all these flags and supplies now that it has out grown my garage? How do we get the flags moved around since it is now bigger than just a couple pickup trucks and trailers.
Every year there are tweaks made to better the process. Even when there has been tough years, those years have left us with growth, knowledge and a full heart to know and see that Minnesota truly cares about their veterans and will do anything to help us honor and remember them.
Appreciate you sharing that. What should we know about Flags for Fort Snelling?
We pride ourselves in the fact that we were able to re-establish the tradition for Memorial Day and flag placement at Fort Snelling National Cemetery. This was a tradition lost due to funding as the cemetery grew. That its we were step in and take that part out of the equation to make sure all of those laid to rest out at Fort Snelling National Cemetery received the flag, honor and remembrance that they earned and deserve.
In 2025 it was our 10 year anniversary of honoring those veterans. From our first year of placing 10,000 flags to our 10th year placing just shy of 194,000 flags. This is no small feat and has many working parts that all have to work together to make it happen. We could dot do this from year to year without the help of all of our volunteers ( about 3,700 volunteers), our supporters who share our story and mission, and everyone that makes donations to our mission, Donations are the only way we make this happen each year. Without all the help from them we would have a great idea and goal, but wouldn’t be able to do it on our own, This is where all of the people in our great state of MN have stepped up and shown the families and friends of those laid to rest at Fort Snelling that they are not now and never will be forgotten.
Can you talk to us about how you think about risk?
This entire mission and non-profit stared on the biggest risk I have ever publicly made in my life. When I decided hat this is something I need to do and make happen, I was a single mother of 3 young children working 2 jobs, I had no business taking this on and screaming to everyone that would listen form the mountain tops that this was going to happen with no real plan or clue as to how I was going to do it. But, somehow I did it, somehow I made it happen and now it is the most fulfilling accomplishment of my life second to my beautiful children.
Contact Info:
- Website: https://flagsforfortsnelling.com/
