Businesses, individuals asked to donate for cause
Judy McColl envisions red, white and blue — throughout the town during the summer months.
The six-year resident noticed something was missing in town Fourth of July last year.
“I was so disappointed on the Fourth of July that there weren’t any flags,” said McColl.
She counted only six flags on Fourth Street and five on Second Street.
“I don’t think we, as Americans, especially the younger generation, honor the flag like we used to,” said McColl. “People don’t stand up at parades, take their hats off or put their hands over the heart for the national anthem. Some children, I’m not even sure they know the Pledge of Allegiance.
Even people don’t put flags up on the houses anymore.”
To remedy not seeing the flags flying around the business districts, McColl approached Mayor Troy Childers Sr. July 6 about the problem throughout town.
Told that no money was available for flags, McColl volunteered to spearhead collecting donations.
She estimates a need of 50 flags at $50 per unit at Peoria Flag and Decorating.
The unit includes the flag, the anodized aluminum pole which twists to keep the flag hanging straight, a bracket and the banding to attach it to the light pole.
Twenty flags will be on Second Street on the decorative light poles, six in City Park on the lights, 10 on Fourth Street on light poles that stay on all night and four on Santa Fe Avenue in North Town.
McColl distributed letters to local businesses about the project.
“I would like to have as many people participate as possible,” said McColl, noting no donation is too big or small.
If more money is donated than needed, the money will be used for replacement flags.
McColl said the city will use its bucket truck to put the flags up and take them down.
She plans on them being up Memorial Day through Fourth of July, and then going up again for Labor Day and Veterans Day.
Assisting McColl in the collection of the funds is American Legion Post 9.
Checks should be sent to the legion at 1043 N. Second St. by March 15.
Plans are to order the flags by March 30 in order to put the flags up in time for Memorial Day.
Once the flags are purchased, Childers said plans include for U.S. Rep. Aaron Schock (R-Peoria) to present the city with a flag that was flown over the White House.
