Memorial Day is Monday May 26. On May 17, we initiated the 2025 Rotary Flag Project deployment. The installation process should be complete by Friday May 23. We always need volunteers to deploy flags. Many of you have helped in the past and your services will be needed again. This year, I contacted all members in hopes that we would get some new volunteers. Thanks to all who were able to help with this round of flag installation.
The task involves being part of two person teams that deliver the flags from our warehouse to our customers. We use routing software to create routes of approximately 25 homes. The flags are dropped into plastic conduits in the customers lawns that have been previously installed by other volunteers. They are topped with a bright red plastic cap. Your heart will burst with joy when, after several minutes crawling on the ground, you spot that red cap and can deploy a flag. And a solar powered light. Then move on to the next address.
One member of the team must have a vehicle capable of carrying twelve foot flags. A route can take 4-5 hours to complete.
This service commemorates: Memorial Day, Flag Day, 4th of July, Labor Day and September 11.The flags will remain out until after the September 11 holiday. They will need to be picked up and returned to the warehouse in the week starting Monday September 15. This is a change from previous years when we picked up flags after July 4 and put them out again for Labor Day.If you can return as a volunteer or want to be a new participant, please let me know. It can be a lot of fun. And we raise $30,000 from the effort. Proceeds from this service directly support community grants and honor flights.Gratefully,John LoftusRotary Flag Project