One Step Closer To Summer

By Shannon Hicks

While the rest of the country may see Memorial Day as the unofficial start of summer, Newtown residents know to watch for the raising of the summer flag on the town’s flagpole.

David Lydem, members of Newtown Hook & Ladder, and members of Newtown Lions Club were at the flagpole Tuesday night to take down the smaller winter flag and raise a brand-new larger summer flag, which will remain in place until after Labor Day. The Lions Club also presented Mr Lydem, the town’s keeper of the flags and flagpole, with a check for $500 to cover the cost of the new flag.

Chief Engineer Rob Manna brought the fire department’s ladder truck to Main Street shortly after 7 on May 19, along with a crew of about eight firefighters to help him with flag detail. Parking perpendicular to the flagpole, Mr Manna then extended the ladder so that firefighters Dan Gindraux and Chris Proulx could then begin lowering the smaller winter flag that has been flying over Main Street since last September.

Three firefighters were waiting at the bottom of the flagpole when the 12- by 18-foot flag came down. Firefighter Dave White carefully held the flag in his arms, and passed it off to Newtown Lions Club members who were waiting nearby and took care of properly folding it for storage.

Eventually about ten Lions gathered in front of Newtown Meeting House, waiting to help raise a flag that was en route with Dave Lydem. Mr Lydem arrived with a brand-new flag measuring 20 by 30 feet, the traditional size of the flag that is raised for Newtown’s summer season.

“Careful guys, it’s slippery,” Mr Lydem cautioned as Lions gathered with him around the base of the flagpole. He had nothing to worry about, however. The Lions, who have covered the cost of many flags for Newtown and have helped with the raising and lower for a number of years, were not about to let the flag go anywhere near the ground.

With others surrounding him to make sure the flag was treated respectfully and automobile traffic slowing to a crawl as motorists began to take in the grandeur of the immense flag about to go up the pole, Mr Lydem attached the banner’s top hook, then the lower hook, and the flag was quickly raised up.

Summer had unofficially arrived in Newtown once again.