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The Spokesman-Review Newspaper
Spokane, Washington  Est. May 19, 1883

Lions offer flag service to businesses

Group uses donations to pay for vision care

From left, Cliff Johnson, Dick Holling, Jerry Murphy and Dick Odell stand in front of Alton’s on the South Hill, a client in the Lions’ flag program. (Jesse Tinsley / The Spokesman-Review)

After the terrorist attacks on Sept. 11, one very visible change was a surge of flags on homes and businesses. People who’d never flown a flag before suddenly did. People who’d had flags sitting in closets for years brought them out, dusted them off and put them up on their houses. Old Glory was waving across the country.

That’s something the Spokane Southeast Lions Club likes to see, so the group is helping business owners in Lincoln Heights, the Manito shopping area and the shopping area around 57th Avenue and Regal Street to fly the flag on major holidays.

“It’s a fundraiser for our vision programs,” said Dick Holling, a member of Spokane Southeast Lions Club. “For a $45 donation we come out and put the flag up at sunrise and take it down again at sunset.”

The program, called Let’s Fly the American Flag, began before the Sept. 11 attacks.

“I was on vacation back in 1990 and I saw the program in Honolulu,” Holling said. “I thought it was a great program, so I took the idea back with me to Spokane.”

For a $45 donation, the Spokane Southeast Lions Club buys the flag, installs the bracket on the storefront and stores the flag appropriately when it’s not in use.

“Right now there are right about 75 businesses in the program,” Holling said.

The Lions’ next flag-raising mission will take place Saturday.

“There are usually about 10 or 12 of us who go out at 6 a.m. and put all the flags up.” Holling said. “Then we have breakfast.”

The Lions are soliciting business participants.

“We have a good response among the businesses. Many want to continue once they get started,” Holling said. “The cost is quite reasonable, and the donations go to eyeglasses and eye exams.”