After having not driven into downtown Pequot Lakes for a few days, I went into the town to collect all the fabulous silent auction items the awesome businesses in the city offered to donate for the Walk To End Alzheimer’s fundraiser.

As I drove north on the Old 371, past the grocery store and then turned right (east) onto Main Street (Co. Rd. 11), I was kind of shocked to see both of the sides of the roads with a new black-top path lined with NUMEROUS flag poles.  There were TONS of them.  I did a “what-in-the-heck did I miss” head jolt and started to wonder what this was all about.  When did all these huge poles just pop up?  Where have I been?

I’ll be honest… at first, I thought “this doesn’t look very cool.” But, like I do, I always step back and say… “now just wait…it’s not a complete project yet and you don’t know the story.”  So, I went home… starting poking around online and easily found “the story.”  Then it made more sense.  Not sure how I missed the memo in the first place.

I learned that in the summer of 2016, the city received a $150,000 donation that was to be specifically used for a flag display in Trailside Park in Pequot Lakes.  And what I was seeing was the location that had been picked for the 58 flags to be displayed, which is along both sides of Main Street, basically in Trailside Park.

Once knowing this, and only having seen the paths and the poles erected with no flags attached, I ventured back into Pequot Lakes on Tuesday (10/1) and the flags were flying.  PROUDLY, I might add.

I got out of my car and noticed some city workers still getting some last flags onto the poles, but as I snapped these photos, I thought, “This is really pretty COOL!”  It may take some getting used to for some, but personally, I think it’s pretty awesome.  I think awesome, some may think it’s an eyesore, but as long as the American flag is flying high above them all, I am good with it!

submitted By Tess Taylor Middays on B93.3