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“O say, does that star-spangled banner yet wave ...”
The banner does wave over Aberdeen, thanks to the Aberdeen Exchange Club.
With help from the local 4-H and Warner Youth Groups, the club will set out to paint the city red, white and blue before sunrise this morning. It's a part of the Exchange Club's Americanism Flag Project, which was created to promote the unfurling of flags on major holidays and special occasions such as conventions and military deployments and returns.
“We promote Americanism, community service, youth activities and the prevention of child abuse," club president Carl Perry said. "With our promotion of Americanism, it's important to honor our flag, honor our country and to honor our nationally set holidays.”
The group unfurls 450 to 460 flags to businesses and individuals on special occasions.
Businesses and individuals can sign up to have flags displayed for $40 a year, Perry said. Organizations that help distribute the flags are paid $50 per route.
Each route is about 50 to 75 flags. Flags are loaded from storage between 5:30 and 6 a.m., and are done being placed by 7, Perry said.
Exchange Club board member Stan Jung will deliver flags in a van today. He and his family have been hoisting flags for 10 years.
“My dad was in the military and my father-in-law was a prisoner of war in the Korean War," Jung said. "Both my father and father-in-law were members of the Legion, and my father-in-law actually spent time putting up flags.
"They taught me that you can give back to your country even if you aren't in the military. That's what I try to instill in my daughters. It's also a great fundraiser for them as well.”
