Greene County residents gather donations for new flags
?Jordan Grimm of Rices Landing turned his fury over the recent desecration of American flags in Uniontown into a fundraising effort to honor Americans who sacrificed for Old Glory.
News report about people stealing and damaging dozens of the flags that Fayette County veterans organizations place along downtown streets around patriotic holidays spurred Grimm to ask friends, churches and businesses to donate money to buy new flags.
He presented the $700 he raised with help from a few friends to the American Legion Post 51 in South Union Township on Tuesday. Members of the Legion and Veterans of Foreign Wars Post 47 in Uniontown, which is undergoing a financial review and is closed, decorate the streets with the flags several times a year.
鈥淚t just infuriated me,鈥� Jordan said. 鈥淚 had to do something for the patriots that fought and died for this country.鈥�
The people he solicited were happy to donate to the cause.
鈥淓verybody was like, 鈥業 can鈥檛 believe somebody would do that,'鈥� Jordan said.
Several $100 donations were given and the First Baptist Church in Carmichaels, which sponsored Jordan蘑菇视频 effort, contributed $314, he said.
Legion officer Mike Gaydos said Lou Dobbs, host of a national radio program, sent a $200 donation to the Legion after seeing news reports about the flags. Legion members also have donated to the flag fund.
He said the Legion is ordering 100 American and POW/MIA flags to replace those that people stole or damaged and some that the weather has damaged.
鈥淭he vandalism has been really horrendous,鈥� said Post Cmdr. Austin Murphy.
After delivering the donated money, Jordan quoted Founding Father Patrick Henry in saying, 鈥淕ive me liberty or give me death鈥� in some remarks he made to about 30 Legion members.
He called the flag desecration an insult to all veterans.
鈥淓very day should be Veterans Day,鈥� Jordan said.
Anyone wishing to donate to the American Legion Post 51 Flag Fund, P.O. Box 1069, Uniontown, PA 15401.