Diane Miland is proud to be an American and she wants Austinites to show their pride, too.

Miland is organizing a "Proud to be an American" patriotic vigil for Tuesday on the Mower County Courthouse west lawn.

From 6 to 7 p.m., Miland is inviting the public to participate in the first gesture of its kind in Austin since the U.S. Armed Forcers attacked Iraq.

"My husband said I was crazy when I told him about my idea, but I just had to do it," she said. "I'm so proud of our troops."

Armed with permission from Mower County and the city of Austin, Miland went about planning a patriotic salute.

She's dedicating the event to the Cub Scouts in Pack No. 102.

There will be a patriotic sing-a-long, flag-raising, patriotic readings and more, according to Miland.

Special guests include Mark Gilbert, the rural Austin man who locally called attention to the U.S. troops with a flag-waving vigil on the Fourth Street NW bridge over Interstate 90.

"He's my hero," Miland said.

The Kmart store in Austin is donating flags for the vigil and Austin American Legion Post No. 91 will temporarily make 30 of its American flags available for the one-night event.

A free-will offering will be collected for the Mower County chapter of the American Red Cross.

Among the businesses slated to participate are Precision Signs and Emotions Floral and Gift Shop.

There will be a red, white and blue balloon launch by local Cub Scouts and their older Boy and Girl Scouts of America peers.

In fact, Miland, a scout leader, is focusing the event on children. She said they need to learn more about freedom and how it affects their lives.

For information about Tuesday's Proud to be an American vigil, call Miland at 434-0309.

Lee Bonorden can be contacted at 434-2232 or by e-mail at :mailto:lee.bonorden@austindailyherald.com