To the Editor:

I look forward to the month of May every year. Sure the weather is getting nice, but May also marks a big time of transition for the flagpole in the center of our town.

Last Saturday morning, as the rain was letting up, more than a dozen members of the Newtown Lions Club and friends of the Borough of Newtown gathered at the base of the flagpole to raise the large summer flag for the season. We could not have done it without help from Newtown Hook & Ladder Co and its aerial truck, which is needed to reach the flagpole’s rope about 35 feet off the ground.

The Lions donate the 20- by 30-foot summer flag every year, one of the many charitable programs they give to. Without the community’s support of the Lions’ annual Duck Race or Ford Mustang raffle, donations like the flag would not be possible.

The large flag we raised on Saturday is the one we took down in November. It was tattered around the edges after a summer spent flying over Newtown but was mended back into shape by Peggy Fillion, whose husband, Gary, is an active member of the Lions Club. Peggy does amazing work with the needle and thread, and given the cost of these flags, we really appreciate her willingness to save this one.

The 12 by 18 winter flag that came down on Saturday, as always, was donated by Mike Sorrentino and his family, who own Newtown Hardware. The Sorrentinos donate two winter flags every year. They don’t seek recognition for this, but it is important for the community to know how generous the Sorrentinos are and how much we appreciate them.

Soon a replacement gilded finial will be back on top of the pole; it was knocked off when a pickup truck struck the pole in January. The flagpole will also be painted top to bottom sometime this summer.

The flagpole is a unique treasure in Newtown, and like the old saying goes it takes a village to keep it looking good. Enjoy it when you drive by.

Chris Gardner

Keeper of the Flagpole

Newtown