Flag Ceremony Honors Lives Lost In Service

As we approach Memorial Day, local businesses near downtown Park Rapids have a symbol of respect and honor for the men and women who died in service in the shape of an American flag.

“We looked around town and we selected 45 companies we thought had room for flagpoles, but didn’t have one,” said Park Rapids Resident Lou Schultz. “So we sent out 45 letters.”

Out of those 45 businesses, 18 of them bought the flags and flagpoles including the Veterans Service Office and American Family Insurance.

“Forty percent of the people we sent the letters to bought flagpoles,” said Schultz. “I think that’s great – it’s going to make Park Rapids look really nice and unique, something we can take pride in the whole community.”

Thielen Motors is also on that list and held a flag raising ceremony to commemorate the occasion.

Park Rapids American Legion Commander Lefty Anderson and Honor Guard Member Bill Peterson conducted the ceremony.

“I’m going to bring the flag out and he’s going to slue it, I’m going to give it to him and I’ll slue it back,” said Anderson. “Then we’ll start hooking up the flag and once it’s hooked up, the flag goes up very slowly.”

Owner Theodore A. Thielen says the ceremony shows patriotism to the community – something he believes in because he served in the Reserves during the Vietnam War.

“We’re going to have 17 more flags like this put up in the community,” said Thielen. “So I think it’s really good.”