The flags are not forgotten

The Labor Day holiday started Friday, and for many Carbon County residents, it was the beginning of getting ready to depart to some place.

For Hanna residents Dorla Baker and Gene Buckendorf Friday morning meant getting the traditional "Avenue of the Flags" ready.

Over 50 flags are put up to create this patriotic tribute and on this day, it fell onto the shoulders of these two extremely patriotic seniors.

This avenue has not always been in the hands of seniors who care about recognizing the veterans of this nation.

As the 1990s began, The VFW (Veterans of Foriegn Wars) and the Women's Auxiliary in Hanna dedicated a park to veterans and started a tradition of having flags go down both sides of WY 72 from the overpass to the Hanna Recreation Center.   

It became known as the "Avenue of the Flags".

Decades went by and the flags showed up every major holiday. Given the wind of northern Carbon County, the 50 plus flags wave strongly often and it is a majestic sight to take driving down the road. 

Sadly, VFW closed down a couple years back and the Women's Auxiliary lost their last member who kept the tradition alive. 

The Avenue of Flags almost disappeared.

Last year, Baker, a longtime resident in Hanna, was driving down the route on National Flag Day and there was no flag to be seen.

"It was June 14, which is the National Flag and as I drove down the road, there was not a flag to be seen," Baker remembered. "It made me angry. So I went to the advisory committee of the Senior Center and told them. Then Jon (Ostling) went to the town to offer help from the Hanna Senior Center. The town turned the whole work over to us."  

Buckendorf and Baker got in a pickup and started the operation in the early morning.

"We put out 48 stars and stripes, a Wyoming flag, the Space Force flag and five military flags," Baker said. "We didn't think it would take us too long, but the holes for the poles are full of dirt."

As bad as the putting the flags in on Friday was because of the filled in holes, both say it was worse when they did it for the first time on Memorial Day.

"It was a nightmare," Buckendorf said. "It was like starting from scratch."

Both said it has been worth getting the tradition back.

"We have a lot of veterans in this town," Baker said. "These flags represent an honor to them."

"My grandpa was in the Civil War, my dad was in World War I and my oldest brother was in World War II, and the rest of my brothers were in Vietnam," Buckendorf said. "This is done for the veterans. This is done out of respect for the veterans. Many of them gave their lives and most fought for what freedoms we have. These flags need to remind people we should not take for granted those who have made it possible for us to even put up these flags."

Baker agreed.

"Our freedoms we enjoy should not be taken for granted," Baker said. "There has been a cost with lives from those who served in our armed forces. That is why it is so important to honor all those who are veterans."

Once they finished their work, it was like mother nature knew it was time to blast the area with some consistent wind.

The "Avenue of Flags" waved strongly to those going down it.

"It really is spectacular to see," Baker said. "It really makes you feel patriotic."

She is right. 

It does.