GRANBY — Residents flagged several worn, tattered and fallen star-spangled banners ahead of Veterans Day, prompting the town to discuss maintenance for the patriotic symbols moving forward.
Granby flies American flags from Memorial Day to Veterans Day. Town Administrator Ron Aponte said the flags are typically replaced as their condition deteriorates, but the town recently ran out of extra inventory.
“Unfortunately, it was a rather windy and wet period, so there were more damaged flags than usual,” Aponte said.
Granby resident Tanya Edwards posted photographs of the frayed flags on Facebook. She noted flags in shreds, curled up around their poles or lying on the ground.
Edwards said she first noticed the flags’ condition a month ago, when one fell near her home. A man had rolled up one flag outside of her house and leaned it against the pole for the Department of Public Works to pick up. It remained untouched for a month, eventually unfurling due to the wind.
“It was almost into the road where cars were going to run it over,” Edwards said.
The American flag is a personal symbol to Edwards. Her father was a decorated Marine who served in the Vietnam War. He would proudly announce to Edwards and her mother when his flag rose each Memorial Day.
“He would say, ‘Guess what went up today? My flag went up today,'” Edwards said.
Purchasing replacements is not the only logistical challenge, Aponte said. Public works staff must be certified to use the cherry picker and hoist for flag installation. It would take a week or longer to set up the scheduling and equipment necessary to fix the flags.
In the future, Granby is exploring the creation of a replacement schedule for the flags to prevent the deteriorated appearance. Aponte also talked about shortening the time the banners are out, which would limit their exposure to the elements. He is not supportive of removing the flags altogether.
“It’s definitely on our radar,” Aponte said. “People notice them, and I think that’s a good sign because that means people are looking at them and they have an amount of pride that the town is flying those flags.”
While initially disheartened by the flags’ condition, Edwards was pleasantly surprised by community collaboration on the issue. She hopes they can be replaced soon.
“We have a lot of great people in this town, a lot of great veterans, and ultimately I think people want to do the right thing,” Edwards said. “I am very pleased with the response I got and the direction things are moving. It’s heartwarming so many people care.”
