Since 1920 the Benjamin Firestone American Legion Post #290 has been organizing the Columbiana Street Fair. in Columbiana, Ohio. Known as “The State Fair of Street Fairs,” this hometown reunion draws tens of thousands from the Mahoning Valley and beyond. Since 2015, Firestone Farms has sponsored an extra military presence to make the event an even more attractive destination.
In 2015 Firestone Farms sponsored The Eyes of Freedom Lima Company Memorial. Escorted by 200 motorcycles, crowds of patriots lined the streets to welcome the truck that transports the Columbus based exhibit around the country. Volunteers set up the eight panels with life-sized paintings of 22 U.S. Marines and a Navy Corpsman, of the USMC 3/25 Infantry Battalion. All killed in action during a 2005 deployment to Iraq. Fair goers toured the memorial in grateful reverence.
In 2016 Firestone Farms sponsored a visit from a Super Cobra Helicopter. New Jersey based Marine Light Attack Helicopter Squadron 773 landed the chopper a short walk from the Fair in nearby Firestone Community Park.
In 2017 the Super Cobra returned but this time had some “ground support” as a 6×6 USMC Cargo Truck and a restored WWII 40mm Anti-Aircraft Gun was added to the LZ. In addition to the military hardware Firestone Farms arranged for a variety of Veteran Support Groups as well as Toys for Tots to set up in a nearby pavilion.
The EFCC Family honors our past and present Armed Forces Community. It has been our hope that these modern military machines provide a touchstone to post 9/11 Veterans that they may use to share a little bit of their deployment experience with their families. Plans to expand the exhibit are in the works for 2018.
