Old Glory waves once again at island center
After more than six years of absence, Old Glory waves once again at the island center thanks one woman on a mission. Last fall, Lynda Newman, a member of the American Legion Auxiliary took on the task of becoming her organization’s Americanism Committee chair and set to work bringing her sense of patriotism to her community.
“The purpose of the Americanism Committee is to encourage our community to do everything possible to support our troops by portraying a more patriotic attitude. I made it my first priority to have the flag pole at the center straightened so that Old Glory could once again be fluttering in our beautiful tropical island breezes,” said Newman.
Newman’s efforts however did not come easy and she found herself faced with some objections to her project.
“The flag pole was bent when Hurricane Charley passed over our island on Friday, August 13, 2004. For the past six years, it was kept as a memento of the devastation it brought to our island and the areas around us,” Newman said. “When the flag was first hoisted after 9/11, as were many others across our country, it inspired a sense of unity and a strength to survive. Most of us have done that since Charley and it’s time to once again raise our American Flag.”
In keeping with the wishes of those who felt that the bent pole served as a reminder of the strength and determination Pine Island showed after Hurricane Charley, Newman also has plans to retain something of the former pole.
“We have saved the section of the bent pole that was sawed off and plan to use it to make some kind of a memorial to Hurricane Charley,” Newman said.
Newman’s project began with a plea for help in the fall of last year and while she ran into numerous pitfalls, her call was finally answered.
“Just when I had hit a stonewall and was beginning to think our project was dead in the water, I received a phone call from Kevin Gallagher.He explained that he had been instructed by his boss, Dominic Pipio, Jr., the owner of All Phase Electric, to work with me and do everything necessary so that we could get Old Glory flying again,” said Newman. “Since our first phone call on Dec. 8, there have been several phone calls between us and several trips that Kevin made out here before, during and after the flag pole was straightened. He became my project manager. I feel so blessed that All Phase Electric and Kevin came into my life. Had it not been for their generosity, this project would have cost between $6,000 and $8,000.”
According to Newman, Pipio first learned of the flag pole project after reading an article in the Pine Island Eagle.
“My boss wanted to do what we could for the community of Pine Island. He has always been fond of the island and saw this as an opportunity to help,” said Gallagher. “We were very happy to help make it possible to see to it that the American flag flies straight and high here again at the center.”
The flag was ceremoniously raised on the new pole at the island center on Jan. 11, at 11 a.m. In attendance were the fifth grade choir from Pine Island Elementary school who preformed two patriotic songs as well as members from the American Legion, the VFW, ROTC Cadets from Mariner High School, a bugler, Robert Johnson and many members of the Pine Island community.