Local & State Headlines

Flag displays praised

• Six organizations and families are honored by a local civic organization.

Susan McCord

ALBANY — Byne Memorial Baptist Church does it. Lillian and Carlysle Sullivan do it. So does Flint Community Bank.

And what’s so special about these individuals, organizations and businesses that put them among six groups honored Friday by the Exchange Club of Albany?

“Proudly We Hail” is an Exchange Club program that recognizes businesses and families that honor the American flag regularly and correctly, club organizer Jim Atkinson said as the six honorees were recognized Friday.

Byne flies its flag 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, but has it correctly illuminated from dusk to dawn, Atkinson said.

“We fly the flag high because we regard this country with high regard,” said the Rev. Billy Hanna, Pastor of First Freewill Baptist Church, which was also honored.

Scott Tomlinson said his business had two mandates during construction of a new Flint Community Bank branch on Meredyth Drive: Keep the oak trees and keep flying the U.S. flag. Flint was the final business honoree Friday.

Homeowner Lillian Sullivan said she feared new rules would prevent her and her husband from flying the U.S. flag when they moved to a condominium.

“We’d always done it for as long as I can remember,” Sullivan said.

But a radio personality said, “no matter what, you fly your flag,” so they raised it.

“I hoped they’d come say something,” but her neighbors never did, Sullivan said.

“What inspired me to fly the flag was the flag they raised on Iwo Jima,” honoree Jim Graham said.

“As long as I can pull the rope to get it up there I will,” he said.

The Sullivans, Jim and Thelma Graham, and Bill and Carolyn Mills were the club’s three family honorees.

The U.S. flag should always be hoisted briskly up a flagpole and lowered ceremoniously, Past Commander Rusty Rogers of Veterans of Foreign Wars Post 2785 told club members.

Rogers, the recipient of a Purple Heart medal and a disabled veteran, asked veterans at the club meeting to stand. Many men did.

“This is the reason you get to fly that flag today,” he said. “You don’t know the feeling it puts in your heart when you come back in this country and see it again.”

Only all-weather flags should be flown in inclement weather, Rogers said.

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