The Local Source for News and Information Since 1980
If you’ve ever wondered who the masterminds are behind the display of American flags that grace the Courthouse green and other locations in Denton around Memorial Day and Veterans Day, look no further: the Denton Rotary Club is proud to organize this semiannual array honoring our heroes.
Sue Simmons, President of the Denton Rotary Club, and Clem Hathaway, the Flag Site Coordinator, lead the initiative. The Rotary Club seeks out sponsors who pay to have a flag displayed in honor of an individual or group. Sponsors can choose to have an honor plaque specifying who the flag is in honor of or in memory of displayed alongside their flag. While the flags are erected during holidays celebrating military appreciation, Simmons stressed that Flags for Heroes does not have to honor specifically military personnel, “it’s really, who are the heroes in your life? It could be a first responder, it could be a firefighter, a police officer, it could be your grandfather or grandmother,” she said. Simmons said that while some choose to honor heroes they have a personal connection with, others simply choose to sponsor a flag to show support for all those who have served or are currently serving as a community hero.
Hathaway explained that Flags for Heroes did not start in Caroline County, but it has been a local tradition for at least a decade. A Vietnam veteran himself, Hathaway is passionate about showing appreciation for the sacrifices made by those who keep our country and communities safe, especially in a generation where fewer and fewer are entering the ranks of service.
The project has retained a steady amount of support, but has faced some challenges with its locations over the years. “We used to be on the intersection of River Road and 404,” Hathaway said, “but then we went through elections, increasingly that's been a location where people have put all their political signs, and this is apolitical, so we backed away from that.” He then said they attempted to use the space near the 404 Memorial Garden, but “logistically, the wind eats the flags, and it’s like pounding into concrete.” That is why the secondary location of the flags is now located near the Denton Cemetery. As the Flags for Heroes sponsorship flyer states, the idea is to have the flags in a visible location, for all to see and appreciate.
Their goal for the number of flags sponsored each go around is 75, which brings their total funds raised to about $3,000. The contributions go through the Club’s 501c3 partner, the Mid-Shore Community Foundation, and are then dispersed to various local programs and organizations such as the Denton Scout Troop 165, Imagination Library, Lifetime Wells International Foundation, Court Appointed Special Advocate initiatives, the YMCA, scholarships, and the annual Rotary Youth Career Fair. This year, 25% of Flags for Heroes’ proceeds will be directly donated to the Lucas Nagel Memorial Fund to support their mission to provide mental health resources to Caroline County’s first responders. The organizers said they would love to see the number of flag sponsorships grow, “but it's gonna take us some time to build that,” Hathaway said.
Simmons noted that “cars will beep their horns” while the volunteers are putting up the flags as a sign of recognition and appreciation for the display. She said that the community’s gratitude for the project shows through in their passion for finding specific flags.
The newest batch of flags can be seen on the Caroline County Courthouse Green at 109 Market Street and near the Denton Cemetery on Route 328. They will remain standing until June 11, through Flag Day. Then the Denton Rotary Club will do it all again in November for Veterans Day. If you are interested in sponsoring a flag for a hero in your life in the future, contact Clem Hathaway at dentonrotary21629@gmail.com.
