GILROY
– The community effort to end a decade-long run of flagless
holidays on Monterey Street is seeking $15,000 so the stars and
stripes can fly downtown.
GILROY – The community effort to end a decade-long run of flagless holidays on Monterey Street is seeking $15,000 so the stars and stripes can fly downtown.
The funds will cover the cost of the flags and flagpoles, installation of the flag post holes and, for roughly two years, replacement of flags that get damaged or stolen. In the last few weeks, three Gilroy organizations – Gilroy Economic Development Corporation, Veterans of Foreign Wars and the American Legion – have donated $300 of seed money each.
Their contributions match those made in August by the Chamber of Commerce, Exchange Club of Gilroy, Gilroy Downtown Development Corporation and The Dispatch. The organizations are spearheading an effort to raise 100 flags along Monterey Street from First to Tenth streets on national holidays, something they hope to see done by Nov. 11, Veterans Day.
The group wants to place 10 flags per block, five on each side of the street, along Gilroy’s main street.
“This is very doable, but people will see this is a big project by the time it gets done,” said Susan Valenta, executive director for the chamber. “Many groups are coming forward to help, and we have some promising letters of request (being sent to potential donors), but I have to meet with their boards before we’ll know if they’ll donate for sure.”
Valenta said a letter to City Council has been drafted asking permission, essentially, to drill holes in the sidewalk that will hold the flagpoles. The group hopes to get an endorsement to move forward with the project at the City Council’s meeting Monday.
Valenta said the group is “still in the permission and research phase” of the patriotic project. In recent weeks, the group has been getting cost estimates on the drilling of the holes and the flags themselves. Those estimates, plus the cost of the two year’s worth of maintenance, make up the $15,000 funding requirement.
Next week, Valenta said, the group will choose the company whose flags are best suited for the occasional outdoor use inside Gilroy’s downtown core.
Meanwhile, the group continues to get the word out that anyone in the community can donate to the cause. Christy Bracco, president of the Exchange Club of Gilroy, said donations can be dropped off at the Gilroy Chamber of Commerce office at 7471 Monterey St. Donations can be mailed to the Exchange Club at P.O. Box 1681 Gilroy, CA 95021.
Checks should be written to Gilroy Exchange/Flag Project, Bracco said.
A local Boy Scouts troupe will be in charge of erecting and lowering the flags each holiday. However, a storage place for the flags has not yet been determined, but interested businesses in the area with extra storage space are being asked to come forward.
“We’ve talked about getting a storage container, but we want to approach businesses, too,” Valenta said.
How to donate
• Cash donations can be dropped off at the Gilroy Chamber of Commerce office at 7471 Monterey St.
• Donations by check or money order should be made out to Gilroy Exchange/Flag Project.
• Checks and money orders can be mailed to the Exchange Club at P.O. Box 1681 Gilroy, CA 95021.
For more information, call the Gilroy Chamber of Commerce at 842-6437.
