Along with raising a winter flag on Main Street’s landmark flagpole on October 19, a new fundraising restoration effort of the flagpole was announced, and the hope is the community will step up with some green to help preserve the red, white, and blue.

“Flagpole Keeper” and Borough of Newtown Burgess Chris Gardner accepted the first donation toward the effort on Saturday morning, when Newtown Lions Club presented a check toward the cause. Lions Steve Bennett, Kevin Corey, David Coyle, Gary Frey, Katherine Simpson, and Bruce Walczak stood on a sidewalk, as the summer flag rippled in the brisk morning breeze nearby, to present the check before members of Newtown Hook & Ladder Volunteer Fire Company arrived with a ladder truck to assist with the changing of the seasonal flags.

The winter flag, measuring 18 by 24 feet, will remain aloft until just before Memorial Day 2020. At that time, a summer flag, which traditionally measures 20 by 30 feet, will replace the winter flag.

Mr Bennett, Mr Gardner, and Mr Walczak announced that restoration work on the flagpole was set to start on October 21, when Ken Burns Electric of Newtown will begin work to replace the existing spot lights, which illuminate the flag at night, with LED fixtures. The change, Mr Gardner explained, will mean a cheaper electricity bill. It will also, he added, minimize the need to replace the lights, which currently happens every six to eight months.

The project will also have the flagpole repainted. In addition, Paul Bastiaanse, owner of Valley Restoration LLC of Torrington, will replace the gold ball on the top of the flagpole. Other than Mr Gardner touching up the paint every year, he said, the flagpole has not been fully painted in roughly two decades.

“We thought it was time to get the whole thing painted,” said Mr Gardner.

The repainting and refurbishing project is a joint effort between the Borough government and the Town of Newtown, according to Mr Walczak.

With the community’s support, the hope is to raise $10,000 to cover the project.

Mr Gardner said the Newtown Lions Club has always been a source of strong support of the flag and flagpole.

“We’re pretty excited about this,” said Mr Gardner.

Moments after the announcement, Newtown Hook & Ladder Volunteer Fire Company members Emily Clark, Brian Sharnick, Mike McCarthy, and David White arrived with the ladder truck.

As the sun crested behind Trinity Episcopal Church, the winter flag, held by the Newtown Lions Club members, lit up the area of Main Street with brilliant red and blue.

To donate to the cause, send a check made out to Care of The Burough/Chris Gardner c/o Borough of Newtown, PO Box 164, Newtown CT 06470.