A debt of gratitude

Columns

Discussion

June 16, 2010

Column by Lauren LaFleur

Lauren LaFleur Jacksonville Daily Progress The Jacksonville Daily Progress Wed Jun 16, 2010, 06:05 PM CDT

JACKSONVILLE — There are three flag poles at the edge of our lot here at work — three flag poles that all too often and for too long stand empty.

Over the past couple of months, several entities and individuals have helped us fill those flagpoles, and to those folks, the Daily Progress staff and I want to give a hearty and very well-deserved “Thank you.”

The Woodmen of the World gave us the U.S. flag that proudly flies from our center pole. This is not the first time they have presented us a flag, and it will probably not be the last.

The Jacksonville Fire Department came out on a Saturday morning and not only made sure our new flag was flying, but they also put new hardware and ropes on all three of our poles for us so we could reach them.

Ed Helm brought us a POW/MIA flag not too long after, so pole number two had a flag on it.

Our new abundance of flags where we once had none sparked some calls to State Rep. Chuck Hopson asking for a Texas flag for the third pole. We received a Texas flag in the mail from him on Flag Day.

We’ve stored that Texas flag for future use, though, because Mr. Helm beat Rep. Hopson to the punch — he brought us a state flag last week.

There are few things as beautiful as seeing Old Glory, our Lone Star flag and the POW/MIA flag reminding us to never forget those who went to serve and never returned, alive or otherwide, waving in the breeze.

But I can think of one thing at least as inspiring, if not moreso — the generosity of our local folks who helped us fill our flagpoles.

On behalf of the entire Daily Progress staff, I humbly thank you all.

Text Only

Columns

Jacksonville will always be her home
The newsroom is always changing. You never know who is coming, who is going, as so many public officials told me when I first came to the Daily Progress over the summer.

January 15, 2012
Babe Ruth in East Texas
Imagine, if you can, baseball slugger Babe Ruth walking around a field and shoveling cow manure.

January 15, 2012
JMS boys take 3-of-4 from Lufkin Hudson

LUFKIN — The Jacksonville Middle School 8th grade boys swept Lufkin Hudson on Thursday night, while the 7th graders split their games with the Hornets.

January 7, 2012
Bob Bowman’s East Texas
Most East Texans under 40 know little about Sam Rayburn, the man whose name is attached to a giant reservoir on the Angelina River.

January 2, 2012
Just Ask Janet: Update on circulation situation at JDP
In keeping with my ongoing commitment to communicate with you about things at the paper, let me update you on our circulation situation.

December 20, 2011
Katerine Ann Porter in East Texas
In her writings American essayist and Pulitzer Prize winner Katherine Anne Porter often wrote of the rural South, describing places that sounded remarkably like East Texas.

December 17, 2011
Bob Bowman’s East Texas
Songwriter Stuart Hamblen, the son of an itinerant East Texas preacher, wrote hundreds of successful songs during his lifetime, but his most enduring composition was a gospel classic inspired by, of all people, John Wayne.

December 11, 2011
Just Ask Janet: Kudos to the engines behind the hit parade
I went to the Christmas Parade Thursday night, and I am so tickled to tell you that it was wonderful! I say kudos to the Chamber of Commerce and all those who participated in the parade for making this year’s event so much fun.

December 3, 2011
Bob Bowman’s East Texas
During the 1930s, the Civilian Conservation Corps (CCC) designed and constructed dozens of state parks throughout Texas.

November 21, 2011
Just Ask Janet
Thanksgiving is my favorite holiday. I think what I love about it the most is that it is the least commercial holiday and that it is uniquely American.

November 19, 2011
More Columns Headlines

Columns

Search Results

Discussion

A debt of gratitude

Column by Lauren LaFleur

Site Map

Contact Us