Pennsylvania county’s veterans graves to get flags for Memorial Day after coronavirus rule waived
American Legion post lines Georgia highway with American flags to boost morale amid COVID-19 crisis
Insight from Ray Humphrey, commander of American Legion Post 335 in Sylvester, Georgia.
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A Memorial Day tradition will continue in Berks County, Pa., this year after the state’s governor agreed to waive one of his administration’s coronavirus rules.
Because of the waiver, flag maker FlagZone of Gilbertsville was able to begin distributing an estimated 50,000 American flags to veterans organizations and volunteers throughout the county, The Reading Eagle reported.
The decision was good news for Robert Haller, senior vice commander of a Veterans of Foreign Wars post in Birdsboro – although he said he planned to defy the restriction if it wasn’t lifted.
“One way or another, I was going to put flags out,” Haller told the newspaper. “I was going to see that your veterans get the respect they deserve.”
“One way or another, I was going to put flags out. I was going to see that your veterans get the respect they deserve.”
— Robert Haller, VFW post official
The newspaper spoke with Haller as he planted flags Wednesday in Gibraltar, with plans to do the same at cemeteries in Plowville and Geigerstown.
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FlagZone had been denied a waiver earlier this month, but received the OK on Monday, according to the Eagle.
About 28,000 flags were distributed beginning Wednesday through the county’s office of Veterans Affairs, with plans to continue Thursday and Friday. The remaining 22,000 flags will be sent directly to cemeteries in three cemeteries in Reading, Muhlenberg and Reiffton.
Click here for more from The Reading Eagle.
