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Flag Day is celebrated on June 14. It commemorates the adoption of the flag of the United States on June 14, 1777 by resolution of the Second Continental Congress.
In 1916, President Woodrow Wilson issued a proclamation that officially established June 14 as Flag Day; on AuG. 3, 1949, National Flag Day was established by an Act of Congress.
Charter Member Mary Gross shares the story of Flags Over ‘Bago. On Flag Day 2009 my husband and I were riding our Harley through small towns that displayed flags along both sides of the street. We thought, “we could do that in Winnebago!”
It took the help of many ideas and people to come up with Flags Over Bago. Thanks to Irv Koning and Ace Hardware, we got supplies, drilled 168 holes along Elida Street and buried PVC pipe every 50 feet.
Warren Cunningham fitted all the flagpoles together and friends attached flags. There are 168 U.S. flags, five flags of the military branches and a POW flag.
Each flag was sold for $25 and the owner received a numbered certificate that matches a number on a flagpole. The flags have become the property of the Village of Winnebago and copies of the certificates are kept at the Village Hall.
The flags were first put up for Armed Forces Day in 2010. We fly the flags every year for Armed Forces Day, Memorial Day, Flag Day, 4th of July, Labor Day, Patriots Day, and Veterans Day.
Volunteers put up and take down the flags; it takes 4 trucks and drivers and 3 people to handle the flags, We owe those volunteers a big thank you! Ever faithful Jim Calvert drives Elida Street twice a day when the flags are out and replaces them as needed.
Donations to replace tattered flags are very welcome. They can be made at First National Bank in Winnebago through the Flags Over ‘Bago account. Volunteers are needed to help with putting up and taking down. Anyone interested can get in touch with me and I’ll add them to our contact list. |
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