Unfurling Old Glory

Boy Scout program shows patriotism by placing flags in Moses Lake

MOSES LAKE — It's 6:30 a.m. on the Fourth of July, and 12-year-old Luke Champion is already hard at work.

The Boy Scout and his father Gene Champion have loaded up a pickup truck full of 46 American flags, and will spend the next hour placing those flags in front of businesses along Moses Lake's Pioneer Way.

Theirs is one of several routes of Scouts raising flags on the Independence Day holiday. On several national holidays each year, the Boy Scouts of Troop 69 can be seen unfurling more than 200 flags to place front of local shops. The Scouts start out early, and the business's usually find Old Glory waving before they open their doors. A street full of the star-spangled banners will be waving to passers by for the rest of the day.

For the past several years, area merchants have contracted with the Scouts to help raise money for the troop's activities.

"It's a fund-raiser and it's a fun-raiser," said Luke. When the day is over, another Scout will come to pick up and put the flags away.

Gene Champion finds the program allows the Scouts to defray the costs of summer camp. But by selling subscriptions for, and providing the flag-placing service, the Scouts are also able to learn patriotism and teamwork in the process.

The scouts charge the businesses to place anywhere from one to three of the flags in front of their shops to be displayed on a half-dozen national holidays. Gene said he's found local business owners to be very supportive of the program over the years.

Across town on W. Broadway Avenue, 15-year-old Alex Townsend raises flags from another pickup truck, placing them along storefronts. The fellow Troop 69 Scout has 34 flags to place this morning, and said he's glad to put the flags up on Independence Day.

"It's kind of fun," he said, unfurling a banner of red, white and blue. "It feels great putting up the flags."