“Wouldn’t it be nice to have a street lined with American flags.”
A bum knee hasn’t stopped Maxine Gasso from making an effort to beautify her neighborhood.
“I think everyone in the U.S. should fly an American flag, but you can’t control that,” she said.
She wanted to do something, so she printed 40 copies of a flier that opens with the line above.
She enlisted the help of a sixth-grader from across the street, Alisha Henery, to pass the fliers out up and down Washington Street from 12th Avenue to 15th Avenue.
“Since then, I’ve noticed 10 houses on this street put out flags that weren’t flying them before,” Gasso said.
One neighbor up the street, Gary Mason, mailed the flier back to her with a hand-written note, “God bless you and your idea.”
“I’ve got a casket flag that I fly on the Fourth and other special occasions, but I hadn’t gotten around to flying one every day,” Mason said. “So it was a great reminder to me to show my feeling for our country. I’m glad she did it.”
“So I ask that we try to have every house on Washington Street with the American flag proudly displayed ... it’s a little thing.”
“I think the catalyst for my becoming so enamored with the flag was when my father was chosen to lead a veterans’ parade in my hometown, back in Chicago. I was maybe 8 or 9,” Gasso said. “I remember him being so thrilled that he was chosen to lead that parade and carry the flag.”
Gasso comes from a family with many members who served their country. Her father, Max Borlick, was in the infantry in Germany during World War I. Her brother Richard Borlick served in the Navy in the Pacfic during World War II aboard the destroyer USS Cassin Young. Her brothers Chuck and Walter served in the Army in Korea.
“I’d like to think the time Dad and my brothers spent keeping this country free meant something,” Gasso said. “I put their pictures up at the office on Veterans Day, just to say thanks.”
“I’d love to see every house in Emporia fly a flag. We’ve had a few people move in up the street and they’ve already got flags out. ... I understand there are a lot of busy people who don’t have time to take care of a flag, but a lot of people put their flags out and it really pleased me,” she said. “It just shows we support our country.
“Our leaders aren’t always the best example of what you could hope for, but all in all, you couldn’t live in a better country,” Gasso said. “We’re lucky to live here. It’s not perfect, but it’s free.”
Bjnemp (anonymous) says...
Bless you, Ms. Gasso. Many times I have grumbled and griped about the lack of patriotism on my long block. Even on important days such as Independence Day, Pearl Harbor Day, and Veterans Day, the only two flags flying on our block are on my house and the old guy's house across the street. I think someone from every block in the city should do exactly as you have done and promote patriotism and love of country in the form of displaying our flag. You are a patriot, Ms. Gasso. Thank you.
August 15, 2008 at 10:20 p.m. ( permalink | suggest removal )
totonotinksnemore (anonymous) says...
way to go nana we are flying a flag here in texas too. xooxo
August 15, 2008 at 11:33 p.m. ( permalink | suggest removal )
create (anonymous) says...
Yes, Bless you, Ms. Gasso. I too believe we need to display more patriotism. Thanks for the reminder.
My opinion is based not only on our own history, but of late, on something else going on. As some may be aware, a young student from the ravaged country of Georgia, and who holds a fellowship at Emporia State, is unable to obtain a Visa in order to get back to Emporia to go to school. At this point in time, she is no longer able to communicate with the outside world, neither on cell phone nor Internet because those services are being blocked. She has local telephone service only.
How many of us pick up a cell phone, land line, or use the Internet to communicate with others every day without even thinking about how doing so is part of our own rights as Americans, and how precious those freedoms are? Our "Old Glory" is symbolic of those, as well as other, freedoms.
Yes, we must remember to fly "Old Glory."
August 17, 2008 at 8:51 a.m. ( permalink | suggest removal )
citizen (anonymous) says...
I drove down Washington on Saturday. What a beautiful sight!!! I went home and put my flag out. I hope my neighborhood joins in. It's always a good day to fly the flag. Maxine you are an honor to America.
August 18, 2008 at 2:16 p.m. ( permalink | suggest removal )
traceygraham (Tracey Graham) says...
There used to be a flag at the top of the hill in Jones Park. What happened to it, I wonder? It looked really beatiful blowing in the wind.
August 19, 2008 at 10:16 a.m. ( permalink | suggest removal )