How Will You Celebrate Independence Day 2022?

Flags Across America is a unique, inspiring, patriotic coffee table book co-authored by PebbleCreek resident Karen S. Robbins.

Karen S. Robbins

With the high price of gas, I imagine many of us will be staying in our beautiful community of PebbleCreek entertaining friends and families for a BBQ, swim, games, and watching the fireworks on television. But there’s an Independence Day Celebration planned at Goodyear Ballpark from 6 to 10 p.m. It’s at 1933 S. Ballpark Way. Attendance, parking, and activities are all free. There will be food, drinks, and giveaways, along with two live bands, bounce houses, and kids’ activities. The 20-minute fireworks spectacular show will be the grand finale of the day! So, you won’t have to drive far to enjoy a day that our City of Goodyear has planned to celebrate a spectacular Fourth of July!

If you don’t enjoy crowds and prefer staying home, I’d recommend the beautiful book, Flags Across America, which I co-authored with Dale Baskin. How and why does a children’s author write a patriotic book for America? I grew up in a patriotic family and was taught to love and respect our flag. I lost my summer boyfriend in the Vietnam War, and after 9/11 I felt called to use my creative gifts to bring beauty, inspiration, and hope to Americans of all ages.

I had been taking pictures of unique American flags for years, but didn’t know why. After 9/11 I realized I had the makings of a flag book for our country. That’s how this beautiful book began, and I was fortunate to find Dale Baskin to be my co-author. Yes, together we are Baskin and Robbins! Together we created a No. 1 Best Seller on Amazon in photography and lifestyles. The book kept growing more beautiful over six years, collecting over 300 gorgeous American flag photos as never before seen. Three fourths of the contributors were strangers and are now my friends. God continued to connect me with artists, veterans, and Americans from all walks of life to make a patriotic coffee table book for our country. Each story is unique, just like every American is one-of-a-kind. The book is packed with inspiring stories written by the son of a Doolittle Raider, a Tuskegee airman, a prisoner of war in Vietnam, and even the Berlin Candy Bomber. We also have three-dimensional flags painted by Scott LoBaido, who won the patriot award of the year, and Robert Knudsen, who is the official photographer of all five branches of the service and has photographed all our presidents since John F. Kennedy. I’m still stunned how I met all of these amazing, historical individuals. This is a perfect book to choose for your summer reading, especially for celebrating the Fourth of July. You may purchase a copy at our Expressions Gallery, Barnes & Noble, and Amazon. I’d be thrilled to autograph your book. When living in Washington, I enjoyed presenting patriotic programs, and look forward to serving Arizonans too.