The tattered and torn yellow ribbons demonstrating patriotism on the Berkeley street overpass will be replaced on Veterans Day, November 11.

Student government president, Katelyn Neniskis, came up with the idea to clean up the Bridge after noticing that the ribbons and stickers were in poor condition. Neniskis has 38 student and staff volunteers signed up to help with the effort and she hopes to see 50 by Veterans Day.

This will be the first year of involvement for Pierce College, as Neniskis said she “wanted to do something different” for Veterans Day this year. The group will be on the overpass periodically from 9:00 a.m. through 3:30 p.m. on Friday. The clean-up activities will include the replacement of old ribbons and stickers and the waving of flags and laminated patriotic posters at passers-by.

According to an article in the Tacoma News Tribune, Richard Rabisa of Lakewood named the overpass “The Freedom Bridge” in 2005 after waving a yellow flag at the 81rst Brigade Combat Team as they were crossing the bridge for deployment to the Middle East.

Over the years, some opponents of the efforts in the Middle East have marked the bridge with “hate stickers.” These are bumper stickers that Neniskis says, “will be coming off.” The overpass is located on Exit 122 on Interstate 5, just south of Lakewood. The group plans to demonstrate their support for The Freedom Bridge, “rain or shine.”