Bobby McDonald, left, and Festival of Lights Director Pat Simmons inspect a 13-foot by 20-foot U.S. flag that festival committee members plan to adorn with more than 5,000 lights when the 11th annual festival is held this December. (HERALD photo/Steve Reagan)
Bobby McDonald, one of the festival committee members, said plans call for a 20-foot by 13-foot U.S. flag, illuminated by more than 5,000 lights, to be added to the diorama section as a salute to American military personnel.
But there’s a catch — getting the supersized flag ready in time for the festival is going to take a lot of elbow grease.
That’s where you can help, he said.
“It’s very labor-intensive,” McDonald said. “It will probably take about 1,000 man-hours to get it ready ... So we basically want to appeal to the public to see if anyone would want to help us light up the flag.”
In the past, festival committee members could rely on help from local prison inmates, but that source of assistance is no longer available, McDonald said.
The flag was designed by Gary Morris and exhibited a few years ago, but is in need of a facelift, McDonald said.
“We need to redo the whole flag so it fits the entire frame,” he said. “We’re going to re-light it and install it in the diorama area in the middle of a field of poinsettias to honor our military people.”
Longtime Festival Director Pat Simmons said volunteers are sorely needed for the project.
“People don’t know what’s involved in getting the lights ready and making the whole thing presentable,” Simmons said. “But this is going to be just a great, great display.”
To volunteer for the project, contact Simmons at 263-4607.
Contact Staff Writer Steve Reagan at 263-7331, ext. 234 or by e-mail at
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