As the Salado Veterans of Foreign Wars Post 12235 started planning efforts for its first ever Veterans Day commemoration ceremony, one member discovered that the flagpole at the Veteran and First Responders Memorial on the grounds of the Salado Independent School District's Administration buildings grounds lacked the capability of hoisting a flag.

     Ray McCulloch, an officer of the VFW post and the lead for planning the ceremony, discovered during a site visit that the ropes for raising flags were missing and had been so for quite some time. A little research discovered that there was a flagpole repair company in nearby Austin that serviced many of the cities and towns in the Central Texas area. Austin Flag and Flagpole was able to work in the repair during one of their visits to the area, and they went beyond the request. The flagpole has the ability to hoist two flags, and while the request was for one replacement, they fixed both lanyards!

     "We are just happy to be able to find this need and be able to do something about it," Ray said. "I just felt like this was the best site to recognize the veterans of our community. It was just a tragedy that no flags could be raised on the flagpole."

     The repair was completed in less than an hour, and the school is now able to raise flags at the site. The young VFW post is now poised to host its first ever Veterans Day commemoration ceremony for and in the community.

     "This is just one more way that we show that we are here in the community and that no one does more for veterans," stated Minnie Whitzel, the Post Commander.