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Ed Ink: Help Keep The Flag Flying

Newtown's most enduring symbol is the one we share with the nation. The flag

atop the 100-foot pole in the center of our Main Street at the top of Church

Hill presents itself in spectacular fashion from all points of the compass. It

comes on you as a surprise as you make the turn off Mt Pleasant at the head of

Main Street. It invites you up the hill through a corridor of stately trees

from the Ram Pasture. You can see it waving far in the distance all the way

from I-84 near Exit 11. And when you overtake the crest of Castle Hill and see

it among attendant steeples, it simply takes your breath away.

As much as we would like to believe that Old Glory floats in the air over

Newtown by the grace of God, the fact is that it exists there day after day

because of the care and attention of Lt David Lydem of the Newtown Police

Department and through the support of businesses and individuals who donate to

Newtown's Flag Fund.

A brand new 20- by 30-foot flag took its place on the pole last week, and we

hope the summer breezes are gentle this year, because there is no money in the

Flag Fund to replace it. The big summertime flags are not cheap. They cost

$450 apiece when at least three are purchased. Even the smaller, 12- by

18-foot winter flags are $225 each when three or more are purchased. If you,

your family, or your group of organization would like to help replenish

Newtown's supply of flags, send a check made payable to Town of Newtown

(Flagpole) to Lt David Lydem, Newtown Department of Police Services, 3 Main

Street, Newtown, Conn. 06470.