The Healing Field will begin today with a reading of names of the more than 5,200 soldiers killed in Afghanistan and Iraq.

The ceremony begins at Patriot Park at 11 a.m. Last year, it took more than 11 hours to read the names.

A flag with the name of each soldier will be up until a closing ceremony on Nov. 15.

The Healing Field began in Cathedral City in 2005 as a way to commemorate the victims of the Sept. 11, 2001, attacks.

“Healing Field is just to celebrate those lives, to let the families know we haven't forgotten why we're doing this. We take the warrior out of the war,” said Susan Priest, a member of the group.

The Cathedral City Rotary Club is still seeking volunteers to put up flags and read names. Call volunteer chairwoman Cynthia Davis at (760) 328-7478.