Flag display grows at county park on Veterans Day

More than a dozen flags were added to Cape Girardeau County's Avenue of Flags as it was set up in honor of Veterans Day on Wednesday.

The display of American flags lined up at Cape County Park North already featured more than 450 flags.

Each flag represents a county resident who died in the line of duty or post-service.

VFW Post 3838 in Cape Girardeau coordinates with the county on the display. It is set up five holidays each year.

The Avenue of Flags began in 1987 after 80 casket flags were donated to the VFW. In the following years, families have continued to donate flags from caskets or purchase new flags to be posted in honor of their loved ones.

Wednesday morning's setup was completed with the help of Teen Challenge of Mid-America and other volunteers. The 13 new flags were posted by the families themselves.

"We had 13 families out here today putting up flags for the first time for their deceased loved ones, their veterans," said Avenue of Flags chairman Dave Cantrell.

Alice Noland Quigley of Jackson was there with her family setting up a flag in honor of her father, Gerald Noland. He served in the U.S. Army Air Forces during World War II. It later became the Air Force in 1947.

She said her father didn't talk much about what he saw during his service, instead preferring to tell lighter stories about some of the places he visited.

Noland Quigley said she thought the avenue was a great tribute to veterans -- it also includes flags honoring two of her father's brothers -- and said she believed her father would be "very pleased" with the honorary display.

But his flag almost wasn't included in the avenue on Wednesday. Noland Quigley said she didn't want to use her father's coffin flag but was unable to find the right flag to purchase.

"I was actually looking, trying to figure out how to do this and didn't know who to call," she said. "I was kind of at a dead end."

When an organizer reached out to her, just days before Veterans Day, she said it was a prayer answered. She gave them the funds, and they made sure the flag was ready to be flown Wednesday.

Making those connections and establishing a stronger relationship with the community was a key goal for Cantrell when he recently picked up the role of program chairman. The assistance from local groups and organizations is especially important on the days the flags fly, since it takes many hands to complete the setup, removal and proper storage.

On Wednesday morning, Southeast Missouri State University fraternity Phi Delta Theta showed up to offer its support. Fraternity members from Pi Kappa Alpha volunteered to come in during the afternoon to help with flag removal.

"This is just another step in incorporating community awareness and now we've got organizations within the university engaged," Cantrell said.

Those interested in offering volunteer services for the Avenue of Flags program or having a flag flown in honor of a deceased veteran may reach out to the VFW by emailing vfwpost3838@yahoo.com, calling (573) 334-4488 or stopping by its location at 1049 N. Kingshighway.

srinehart@semissourian.com

(573) 388-3641

Pertinent address:

Cape County Park North, Cape Girardeau, Mo.

1049 N. Kingshighway St., Cape Girardeau, Mo.