Ottawa First, the group that organizes the fireworks in Ottawa, is preparing an Avenue of the Flags display for Memorial Day at Ottawa’s Vietnam Memorial Plaza — located on La Salle Street by the bridge.
This Phase I project will include 38 flags, which honor the veterans on the memorial. Each flag will have the name of a veteran and the sponsor. Name priority will be given to the family of the veteran. If duplicated, the flag set will then be used as a Phase II patriotic Avenue of the Flags display at other locations around town (such as Washington Square). A family may honor any veteran for a Phase II flag set. Display dates will be Memorial Day and Veterans Day.
The cost of each flag pole set is $150. This includes the flag, flag pole, name plate, donor plate, maintenance and future repairs, recorded as a separate line item in the budget.
The Ottawa Lions Club donated 10 flag sets. Other donations may be mailed to: Ottawa First, P.O. Box 453, Ottawa, IL 61350. For questions, call John at 815-993-3956. Voicemails will be answered as quickly as possible.