It was a labor of love.
When Christina Sivewright decided she wanted to see Sultan's Main Street lined with American flags in time for Veterans Day 2014, she set out to make it happen. She researched logistics, collaborated with Sultan's public works department and presented during city council meetings. She initialized her fundraising campaign in August, and by November 4, 2014, the first set of holes were core-drilled into the sidewalks of Main Street.
By Tuesday, Nov. 11, just in time for Sultan's annual Veterans Day Ceremony, Main Street was lined with 48 3-foot by 5-foot American flags that stretched from 1st through 5th Street.
She promptly went to work planning the next phase.
Her endeavors were enthusiastically supported by her then-fianc+¬, Sgt. First Class Dave Sivewright, who is also known as the Highway 2 Freedom Runner. Dave can often be seen running along U.S. 2 carrying "Old Glory,GÇ¥ a 4-foot by 6-foot American flag mounted on an 8-foot staff.
The two were married on Saturday, March 28, in a star-spangled wedding ceremony outfitted entirely in red, white and blue.
Her endeavors were also enthusiastically supported by members of the Sultan VFW Post 2554, of which her husband is a member. Sultan VFW members rise before the light of day on holidays and other special occasions to place the flags at attention, gathering again in the evening to retire them. They are often joined by other community volunteers eager to help accomplish the task. Members of the-áSultan Ladies VFW Auxiliary, which Christina recently joined, also participate in the placing of the flags.
From the Veterans Day Ceremony to the Sultan Summer Shindig Parade, Christina's flags add a little something extra to every occasion.
"The flags add so much more than color to Main Street GÇô there is a sense of small town community behind them,GÇ¥ said Sultan resident Jay Leeberg. "The fact that they raised funds from community members to make up funding for the project gives us all a sense of contribution to something greater than ourselves.GÇ¥
Jay moved to Sultan in 2008, purchasing a home in 2010. He and his wife Ashley appreciate the flags every time they see them on display.
"We are very thankful that the Sivewrights organized and executed this great project for our area. We'd like to see many more similar flag projects throughout the country as for me personally; the sacrifices made by our military are astounding. We don't even know the half of it,GÇ¥ Jay said. "This is one way to remind us all of that.GÇ¥
Sultan residents Kathleen Morrisson and her husband Richard enjoy helping place and retire the flags. The project, said Kathleen, has had an incredible impact on Sultan's younger generation.
"It is not the volunteering to wake up early to place the flags at 6 a.m. or the interrupting of my evening plans to take them down, that drives me to support and to participate in the Sultan Flag Project. It is not the great fellowship and comradery that we are blessed with participating in. It is not my level of patriotism, because I am a veteran and I truly feel in my gut what our American flag stands for,GÇ¥ Kathleen said. "It is when, at 6 a.m., I am witnessing the kids of Sultan helping with putting the flags out, and the excitement they have for what this stands for, and the birth of patriotism in their young hearts.GÇ¥
"This Sultan Flag Project is a very valuable way for our community to teach our children about patriotism, one flag at a time,GÇ¥ she continued.
Now, after quickly winning the heart of the Sultan community, Christina's American Flag Project has earned national recognition. In July, Sultan's VFW Post 2554 received word that Christina's American flag project was selected by the Veterans of Foreign Wars of the United States to receive the Fred C. Hall Memorial Outstanding Post Special Project Award. The prestigious honor came with a $1,000 service scholarship, which the VFW donated back to Christina to help her further the project.
Additionally, Sultan VFW Post Commander Chuck Donahue was recognized for achieving the status of All American Commander. He recently traveled to Pittsburgh, Pa., to accept the award and to be honored for achieving All American status.
"For more than 80 years, members of the post in Sultan have been making a difference in their community and they are a perfect example of what the VFW is all about. Although they are a small post, they were the spark of energy a town needed to ignite its patriotism,GÇ¥ said VFW National Commander John W. Stroud in a press release.
Christina's idea sprang to life in the simplest of ways GÇô a casual conversation during an evening walk with her then-fianc+¬ Dave. As they proceeded down Main Street, the two began reflecting on how much they enjoyed the American flags that are displayed along Main Street in Monroe on holidays and other special occasions. Upon doing some research, Christina learned that up until the early 1990s, Sultan did occasionally display flags along Main Street, but nobody seemed to know why the custom waned.
So she decided to see what she could do to rekindle Sultan's American flag tradition and spread a little American pride to Main Street. As the project progressed she incorporated a new element, offering small brass nameplates to commemorate all those who made a donation of $30 or more.
Now, when the flags are displayed, project contributors can easily locate the flag that their donation helped to place.
With the additional $1,000 donation from the VFW, Christina will be able to place a far greater number of flags than she initially intended. When all is said and done, including the flags on Main Street and an additional 18 flags along U.S. 2, the number of American flags displayed in Sultan will top out at 174.
"The VFW's $1,000 donation allowed me to double the number of flags,GÇ¥ Christina said.
Dave and Christina were honored as the Sky Valley Citizens of the Year during the Sky Valley Community Awards Ceremony in February, and were presented with an Outstanding Community Service Award by the Sultan VFW. Dave was also recognized as Outstanding Citizen of the Year by the Gold Bar Ladies VFW Auxiliary 9417.
The two stored the flags in their own garage until recently, when the Sultan Volunteers of America facility offered them storage space.
"The project has officially outgrown our garage,GÇ¥ Christina said.
To make a donation to the American Flag project, please visit: http://www.gofundme.com/AmericanFlagProject, or stop by Coastal Community Bank in Sultan. A number of brass nameplates are available for a minimum contribution of $30.
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