By Mark Caracciolo
The Wellington Rotary Club will be partnering with the Village of Wellington and others to plant flags this spring in a joint project known as “Flags of Wellington.” During the patriotic fundraiser, community members are invited to sponsor flags that will be displayed prominently in the community.
“On behalf of the Rotary Club of Wellington, we are pleased to announce the launch of our joint inaugural Flags of Wellington program, created in partnership with the Village of Wellington and with the support of Scout Troop 777 and Comcast VetNet,” Rotary Club President Walter Imperatore said at the Tuesday, April 8 meeting of the Wellington Village Council. “From May 10 to Flag Day [June 14], a field of approximately 100 American flags will be displayed in an open space adjacent to the Patriot Memorial along Forest Hill Blvd.”
Imperatore is excited to get community members involved in the project.
“The inspiring exhibition will stand as a celebration of remembrance, unity and community spirit,” he said. “For a $75 sponsorship, individuals, families or groups can dedicate a three-foot-by-five-foot flag on a six-foot pole with a personalized note, either in honor of a veteran or loved one, or to share a message of pride and hope. Participants will have the opportunity to keep the flag, pole and tag at the end of the program.”
Flag sales began on April 9 and are ongoing at www.zeffy.com/ticketing/flags-of-wellington.
Wellington’s Emergency Management & Public Safety Director Nicole Coates is overseeing the project for the village. She said that the idea began with Village Manager Jim Barnes.
“He had us look into the concept of bringing a field of American flags to the Village of Wellington, and when we said the Wellington Rotary Club would be perfect for this, they embraced the concept to help bring this project to life,” Coates told the council.
The money from the project will go into projects that serve the Wellington community through the Rotary Club of Wellington Foundation, a nonprofit organization that supports a wide range of local efforts, including youth service, leadership programs, scholarships, resources for children in need, and assistance for veterans, first responders and families facing hardship.
“The Rotary Club is a group founded in the early 1900s based around community service. It’s a combination of a general community group and a business networking group,” Imperatore told the Town-Crier. “There are more Rotary clubs than there are McDonald’s. Every community needs a Rotary club. Every community has needs. Every community has youth, first responders, veterans and families in need.”
He said that Rotary’s primary mission is to serve the community and provide community service.
“The Flags of Wellington event was generated through Village Manager Jim Barnes,” Imperatore continued. “He and his group asked us if we could partner with him on this. We are very appreciative of him for this very inspirational project.”
The event is also sponsored by Comcast, specifically, its program dedicated to veterans. Comcast’s Veteran Network (VetNet) has donated 100 American-made flags for the display. The VetNet team will also volunteer their time to assist with the installation of the flags. VetNet supports numerous veteran service projects, including Wreaths Across America, a tribute to fallen veterans, and Operation Old Glory, which replaces American flags.
The flag display is set to begin May 10 and will be on display during the village’s Memorial Day observance on Monday, May 26. The observance will include a parade from the Patriot Memorial to the Wellington Veterans Memorial, right past the display of flags.
To learn more about the Flags of Wellington project, e-mail wellrotary1@gmail.com. If you wish to purchase an American flag along with a message to be displayed, visit www.zeffy.com/ticketing/flags-of-wellington.
