Thousands of Tucsonans form a human flag on the outfield at Tucson Electric Park to honor victims of last Tuesday's terrorist attacks.
By Rob Bailey
ARIZONA DAILY STAR

The patriotic spirit of 15,000 Tucsonans who braved heat and traffic jams Saturday to form a human flag honoring U.S. terrorism victims is garnering national attention.

The Arizona Daily Star and KVOA, Channel 4, are teaming up to produce a poster-size version of the human flag photograph that was published in Sunday's Star. Proceeds from poster sales will go to KVOA's "Aid 4 America" fund benefiting disaster relief, which has raised more than $100,000 in donations.

"I think we all underestimated the spirit of Tucson when we only expected 3,000 people to show up for the human flag," said KVOA News Director Lisa Contreras. "I am so excited and proud to live in the city I live in, in the state I live in, in the country I live in."

The Star has received numerous phone calls since Sunday from readers wanting copies of the photograph.

Pricing and distribution details of the posters will be finalized today, Contreras said.

Tucsonans were asked to go to Tucson Electric Park on Saturday morning with red, white and blue T-shirts. Participants formed a giant flag and photographs were taken from a Tucson Police Department helicopter.

The nation is also getting a chance to see Tucsonans' spirit. Sports Illustrated picture editor James Colton said the photograph, shot by Star photographer David Sanders, will be published across two pages in this week's magazine. The photo will also be displayed on Chicago's Comiskey Park's Jumbotron screen tonight during a baseball game between the Chicago White Sox and the New York Yankees.

A computer "screen saver" incorporating the photograph will be available for free downloading sometime today at www.azstarnet.com.

Saturday's event was the brainchild of KRQ-FM disc jockeys and callers who flooded the station with words of encouragement for rescuers at the terrorist attack sites. Kate Burns, KRQ-FM's marketing director, said great care is being taken to make sure the right organizations benefit from the photograph. "We're aware that the whole state of the nation and its outpouring of emotions is so much bigger than a radio station or newspaper or any media outlet," Burns said. "We're being careful so that anything we do benefits the community, the victims and rescue workers. Nothing negative should come out of this event."

About 4,000 postcards bearing an image of the human flag will be available Wednesday at KRQ-FM's Clear Channel Broadcasting office, 3202 N. Oracle Road, as well as at two Moto Photo locations, 3720 W. Ina Road and 4772 E. Sunrise Drive, and the American Red Cross, Southern Arizona Chapter, 4601 E. Broadway.

Donations are requested for the postcards. Participants are asked to write a message on the cards, which will be mailed to Red Cross units in New York and Washington, D.C. "It's so that everyone in Tucson will have the chance to let the victims and volunteers know our thoughts and prayers go out to them," said Nancy DeMille, co-owner of Moto Photo.