Lauren LaFleur
Jacksonville Daily Progress
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.
