CORPUS CHRISTI, Texas — If you drive through part of Portland this weekend you will notice something different. Hundreds of American Flags lining Buddy Ganem Drive thanks to the Portland Rotary Club. You'll see them between Route 181 and Wildcat Drive.
This is the first time the Portland Rotary Club has done a project like this.
Rotary club member Dick Myers, who is also a Vietnam Veteran, said this is a historical moment. He thinks when veterans see the display, they’ll feel some emotions.
“They will be grateful for the service of those that went before and they’ll remember,” he said holding back tears.
The project is possible because Portland residents and businesses sponsored a flag and are able to dedicate it to a hero. There were three levels of sponsorship.
“Our project includes, not only veterans, but first responders or anyone who may be considered a hero to you. A mom, a dad, a brother a sister, whatever,” Jimmy Earnest said, rotary club president.
This project will look similar to one you see in Corpus Christi. It actually gave the rotary club inspiration.
“We were inspired by the Corpus (Christi) Rotary Club," said Earnest. "They do that along Ocean Drive and we thought it was really good. And Portland is a patriotic community and flags, memorial day, it all goes hand in hand.”
“If you drive down Ocean Drive you can get a feeling of what it really means to see all the flags flying," Myers said. "And with the Portland club replicating that, it means that the north side of the bay now will have that representation, that same feeling as you drive down Buddy Ganem.”
The money raised from this will go towards the Portland Rotary Scholarship Program and towards putting on charity events.
Flags will stay lining Buddy Ganem Drive until Saturday June 4.
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