GREAT FALLS – Flag Hill, one of the first things you see when driving into the electric city.
“We truly love our community, we truly love our country. We respect everyone who has served our country to help us keep our freedom and keep that flag flying,” Beth Duke, Realtor Flag Project 2018 Chair, said.
The Flag Project, sponsored by the Great Falls Realtors Association, is what keeps that 30×50 foot American Flag flying high at 120 feet overlooking the city.
Thanks to the Montana Air National Guard (MANG), a local woman who mends the flags, an electric company and several volunteers the flag is kept in pristine condition.
Each flag costs nearly $1,000 and is replaced every couple of months.
If there is a storm, high winds or if needs to be put to half-staff, MANG does all that.
Along with maintaining Flag Hill, the Flag Project organizes several other events throughout the community; some including, bringing the flag to high school football games, elementary schools, and even an essay contest where kids describe what the flag means to them.
To celebrate Flag Day, on June 14th, the Flag Project will be hosting a ceremony on Flag Hill at 8am.
“The flag is a symbol of our freedom. A lot of people don’t feel that way but until you have served in the military and seen other countries, been in other countries, it makes you realize how much we’ve done to maintain our freedom. There’s no greater symbol than that flag,” Duke said.
To learn more about the project or to donate, you can check out their Facebook page here.
Reporting by Elizabeth Transue for MTN News
