By ERIC SEIVERLING
West Newton began its annual Memorial Day tribute to veterans Saturday when volunteers turned out to raise hundreds of flags for the 27th annual Avenue of Flags display.
The day featured volunteers from the Yough High School football team, VFW Post 7812, Moose Lodge 31 and plenty of others who showed up to raise 354 military and veterans’ flags to line the West Newton Cemetery lanes.
The flags are raised in memory of deceased local veterans whose families have donated a flag, as well as each branch of the military, POW-MIA and each American conflict.
The display will be the backdrop for West Newton’s Memorial Day service May 31, and the flags will fly until June 5.
West Newton Avenue of Flags co-chairwoman Stacey Federoff said this year’s display marks the return of the full number of flags. Last year’s event was limited to 60 flags due to the COVID-19 pandemic.
“We’re just glad to have the volunteers out and to be able to put the display up,” Federoff said. “We’re still following precautions and guidelines. We’re outside and it’s easy to social distance.”
Started in 1994, West Newton’s Avenue of Flags takes place each May to commemorate Memorial Day at the cemetery and typically features 100 community volunteers and students from Yough Senior High School. They raise flags that are dedicated to each branch of the military, every U.S.-involved foreign conflict and veterans from West Newton who were killed in action or have passed away.
Families of a deceased veteran purchase a flag and a plaque with the veteran’s name on it to be placed with each flag.
“We have a pretty good core group of volunteers who come back year after year,” Federoff said. “We’re glad to see that year after year we have so much enthusiasm from the community. They understand, as volunteers, they’re honoring local veterans and their families who have donated the flags in their memories.”
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