ADAMS COUNTY, Pa. — Organizers from Wreaths Across America joined volunteers at the Richard Gross VFW and Auxiliary Post in East Berlin Adams County, to plant American flags ahead of Independence Day.
“In 2019 we did a fundraiser in person. In 2020, when COVID hit and we could not do things in person, we had to come up with an idea on how we were going to raise the funds to purchase our wreaths for the veterans’ graves in December,” said Location Coordinator Melissa Kopp-Smith
That idea became Flags for Heroes, a fundraising program for people to sponsor flags for $50.
The money raised is used to buy wreaths for veterans in nearby cemeteries.
Anyone who sponsors a flag will receive a special pin, with a duplicate pin attached to the flag while it stands.
Kathe DeCarlo has been with the program since the beginning and sponsors nine flags.
“I went home and told my husband to get his checkbook out because we have a lot of military people in our families,” DeCarlo said.
Nancy Geisler and Iris Nelson also sponsored flags in honor of loved ones who served.
“I have two brothers who were in the army and the national guard and an uncle who was in World War two and was shot down in a plane and killed,” Geisler said.
“And my husband who had passed away, he was in World War II,” Nelson added.
The flags are planted in round cylinders dug six feet into the ground, this is to make sure that no matter how windy it is, the flag stays perfectly still.
“It is just a real big respect thing for us to be able to handle these American flags and put them up and take them down,” Kopp said.
The flags will be on display until the end of the week and are expected to be replanted for Labor Day.
Another flag planting will take place next Memorial Day.
Anyone interested in sponsoring a flag is encouraged to contact Wreaths Across America East Berlin VFW.