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St. Clairsville Rotarians Again Placing Flags on Lawns

photo by: Robert A. DeFrank

St. Clairsville Rotarians A.J. Smith, from left, Kirke Porterfield and Jim DeNoble put up American flags in the city. On Memorial Day and through the rest of the patriotic holidays, residents can have flags flying on their properties, courtesy of the club.

American flags will wave from yards in the city this year as the St. Clairsville Noon Rotary Club again helps residents mark patriotic holidays.

“Memorial Day will be our first flag holiday,” club President A.J. Smith said. “We’ll put the flags up a couple days before Memorial Day (May 30), then we’ll probably leave them up through Flag Day, which is just a couple weeks after that.

“Last year we had over 200 flags up all over St. Clairsville, both in town and the surrounding areas,” he said. “We offer the service to any customers in the St. Clairsville ZIP code area, so we’ve been lucky to have a few in and out of town. … We would definitely like to get some newer customers and some additional people ordering flags, in and out of town.”

“It’s our third year doing the project. Each year we’ve increased the number of flags,” Smith said.

The 3-foot by 5-foot flags are made in America by the Annin Flag Co. of Coshocton, Ohio. The cost per property is $60 per year. The flags will be placed on lawns for Memorial Day, Flag Day, Independence Day, Veterans Day, Labor Day and Sept. 11, or Patriot Day.

Smith said there has been considerable positive feedback about the project, which appeals to the area’s patriotic and military roots and the veteran population.

“It’s been all positive since we started it,” he said. “People have complimented the flags and commented how they really like seeing the flags while they’re driving through town. It really promotes a sense of patriotism.”

“We think several buy a flag, then buy one for a veteran. That’s kind of a nice gesture, too,” Rotarian Kirke Porterfield said.

“There’s more each year. It’s increasing in popularity,” Rotarian Jim DeNoble said.

“We can definitely keep our flags and put more together. As many as we need to,” Smith said.

“This has really been a good project,” Porterfield said.

He added that if people miss Memorial Day and sign up afterward, the price is $50, with $10 less for each holiday they miss. “If you move into town and start on Veterans Day, that’s $10, and $60 next year.”

The flag planting has also assisted the Rotarians in their charitable ventures.

“All the money from the flag project goes to the local scholarship fund for high school students,” Smith said. “This year, we gave away three $2,000 scholarships, and that was an increase from last year because of the flag project.”

“Our next big fundraiser is Taste of the Valley. That’s on June 2. That’ll be our biggest fundraiser of the year as far as charity donations,” Smith said, adding it will be held at the Capstone Soccer Complex west of St. Clairsville.

Smith said anyone interested in the flags can go to the Rotary Facebook page or inquire at Kirke’s Homemade Ice Cream, 50525 Rehm Road.

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