MORGANTOWN, W.Va. – The American flags along Don Knotts Boulevard, WVU Creative Center and the Glenmark Center are bein placed by the Rotary Club of Cheat Lake as part of the Flags For Heroes program.
On WAJR’s Talk of the Town, club member Dan Nagowski said residents can sponsor a 3-foot by 5-foot flag for $10 and designate who their heroes are on the sponsorship form. The names of those heroes will displayed in various area in the community.
“Servicemen or women, first responders, parents, siblings, relatives, teachers in our lives, ministers, doctors or friends,” Nagowski said,” We honor those people that have been pivotal in our lives.”
Typically, the program would honor veterans and the flags would be placed on Memorial Day. But, the flags in advance of Memorial Day this year to honor the healthcare professional and front line workers that helped us get through the pandemic.
“It’s a small contribution to have those flags go up,” Nagowski said,” And all the money we raise by putting these flags up is spent in the community.”
Nagowski said the program gives club members an opportunity to get out of their offices, roll up their sleeves and maybe even break a sweat.
“We only put up 200 last Friday and we have another 200 ready to go up as long as it’s not raining,” Nagowski said,” So, they’ll probably go up today or tomorrow.”
Local Rotarians support a wide variety of causes and groups can make donation requests from their website.
“Feeding the hungry, providing water or shelter- whatever is needed in the community we’re there to help,” Nagowski said,” By sponsoring a flag you help that effort.”
Normally the flags would go up Memorial Day and come down Flag Day, but in the pandemic year that has changed also.
“We’re going to keep them up through July 4 and we’ll take them down and clean the flags and poles,” Nagowski said,” We’ll put them back up again probably Labor Day.”