Under a sunny Saturday morning sky, the Constitution Avenue park in Lehighton was filled with military members and residents for the first Veterans’ Expo. Starting at 8 a.m., the day began with a 5K walk organized by the Keystone Warriors.

Close to 20 people took the maiden lap around the route that began on Second Street and ended at the park.According to Keystone Warriors coordinator Paul Spurgin, the organization hopes to turn the walk into a run for 2017.The Flag Day program was emceed by Harry Wynn III, senior vice commander of the 30th District American Legion, who called the color guard in to carry the flag of each military branch up to the stage, where Angela Nardini sang an a cappella rendition of the national anthem. Tuesday marks the 100th anniversary of the official adoption of the Betsy Ross-sewn Star-Spangled Banner as the country’s flag.Henry Desrosiers of Carbon County Veterans Affairs spoke to the crowd about the meaning behind the red, white and blue.“The flag colors symbolize our patriotic ideals, courage and integrity, liberty and equality for all. The flag represents liberty, justice and humanity. It’s a reminder that in America you are free to choose your livelihood, home and spouse. It inspires unity in this county more than any other symbol.”VALOR Clinic’s co-founder Mark Baylis spoke of the hope he found in the flag while deployed in Iraq.“When I was driving back to base, we stopped at a stop sign. The wind was howling as two women in burqas walked by. One was in black and the other wore a threadbare white one. I saw hope in them,” he said.“Under the white material I could see the woman wearing an American flag shirt. They found hope in us because the American people care.”Baylis told the audience about the biggest problem facing veterans today when they return home from combat.“Since 9/11 we’ve lost 6,500 or more vets to suicide,” Baylis said.According to recently released reports, an estimated 22 veterans a day commit suicide. Many factors contribute to the epidemic, Baylis said, including homelessness, unemployment, divorce rates and the added pressure of reassimilating to society.“The behaviors that keep them alive in war may be hard when you’re in the kitchen with your kids,” Baylis said.“I don’t believe in my core that citizens feel the way to thank vets is for them to come home and live under a bridge.”VALOR Clinic members have been making the rounds at county events to raise awareness of the lives lost on American soil due to everyday pressures.Baylis told the crowd the warning signs to look for in returned veterans.“Self-medicating is a big one. If it’s someone who never drank before and now is drunk every night. Violent or radical swings in personality and spouse fighting. Often I hear, ‘She’s the love of my life and I can’t even talk over breakfast.’ ”Baylis is working to reach as many at-risk people as possible in the future.“We are leaving the door open to first responders; police, firefighters and ambulance personnel,” he said.Residents and program participants hit the deck to perform 22 push-ups in honor of those who are lost on a daily basis.Dark clouds rolled in, ending the event early while the Perseverance Jazz Band played on.The veterans's fair was sponsored by Rep. Doyle Heffley, R-Carbon.