A number of sites in Kent and Sussex counties will be awash with red, white and blue thanks to the efforts of regional Rotary Clubs who are giving a Flags for Heroes salute to front-line heroes over the Memorial Day holiday period.
Flags will be on display in Lewes, Dover, Camden, Milford, Seaford, Georgetown and Millsboro.
Upward of 500 American flags stand in front of Cape Henlopen School District’s district office as Lewes-Rehoboth Rotary Club’s Flags for Heroes salute to front-line heroes over the Memorial Day holiday period.
Among those on hand were Lewes Mayor Ted Becker, Beebe Healthcare CEO Dr. David Tam, Tom Protack (Beebe Foundation president), Bill Ferguson, (Rotary District 7630 governor) and George Jarvis, Lewes-Rehoboth Club president.
The flags will be on display for the two-week period encompassing Memorial Day.
This year’s Flags for Heroes program shifted gears, due to the COVID-19 pandemic.
Traditionally, the Lewes-Rehoboth Rotary solicits individual flag sponsorships at $50 each. The sponsor names their hero and a commemorative medallion and is hung on the flag while on display. The sponsor receives it once the flags come down.
“We also historically have had about 35 commercial sponsors,” said Bill Huntley, Lewes-Rehoboth Rotary Flags for Heroes co-chair with Dave Keller. “The proceeds go into our pool of money that we distribute to groups in need through our areas (including the Beebe Foundation) and even some international causes.”
But 2020 is not a normal year amid restrictions and COVID-19’s impact.
“We will be conducting our fundraising campaign over Veterans Day. However, we will accept sponsor-ships now and until Veterans Day through our website but we are not actively soliciting, especially from businesses,” said Mr. Huntley. “What we are doing this Memorial Day is putting up our flags as a tribute to all front-line heroes in this pandemic fight.”
The current display, located at Cape’s district offices on Kings Highway, salutes health care workers, police and first responders, grocery stores and restaurant workers, delivery people and educators and volunteers.
For information on the Lewes-Rehoboth Rotary Flags for Heroes program, visit: www.FlagsForHeroes-LRRC.com.
Dover Capital City Rotary
Dover Capital City Rotary Club’s seventh annual Flags for Heroes program is scheduled to showcase approximately 400 flags between May 22 and June 2 at the intersection of Rt. 13 and Del. 1 at the Delaware Technical Community College Dover campus.
Georgetown/Millsboro Rotary
Due to the coronavirus, Georgetown-Rotary Club plans to showcase just under 100 flags from May 21 to May 26 at five locations in Georgetown (The Circle and Delaware Technical Community College) and three locations in Millsboro (the post office, town hall and the east end of town), and hold off its big display until the Fourth of July period.
“We are flipping,” said Dan Tabler of the Georgetown-Millsboro Rotary. “We have always displayed them on Memorial Day, July 4 and Veterans Day. We’re still going to do those, but we’re going to do the big display — for us, as big as 500 flags the week before and the week after July 4 instead of Memorial Day.”
Camden Wyoming Rotary
Flags will be displayed from May 21 to May 26, at homes of individual sponsors and in group locations, one being Brecknock Park. Each flag displayed will feature a solar light on the flagpole.
Nanticoke Rotary
The Nanticoke Rotary plans to display close to 600 flags — approximately 300 at two viewing locations along U.S. 13 in front of Johnny Janosik’s World of Furniture in Laurel, and between the Phillips Signs and Tractor Supply businesses just north of Seaford.
Milford Rotary Club
Club officials plan to display 300 to 400 flags at Bicentennial Park, running several days from before Memorial Day into early June, perhaps longer.
