Suffolk News-Herald

Tammy Edwards’ dream is to see American flags lining 460 from Wakefield to Windsor every July 4th, and she’s doing her part to make it happen.

In the wee hours of Thursday morning, Edwards and about two dozen other patriotic volunteers, planted 1,200 little American flags in the yards of every residence in Windsor.

&uot;The flags are theirs to keep and we encourage them to keep them up,&uot; said Edwards, who along with her husband, Dennis, owns Windsor Hardware. &uot;It’s our Fourth of July gift to the town.&uot;

This is the second year that they have planted the Independence Day flags. Tammy said they petitioned the Town Council last year to designate Patriotic Pride Week in the community of 2,400 people, just west of Suffolk.

&uot;We just felt like it was a good thing to do,&uot; said Edwards, &uot;especially in the climate we have now. We’ve got a lot of people in the community who have friends and loved ones in the community. It means a lot to them.&uot;

She said they also hope to instill some patriotism in the community’s young people, many of whom, like Jamie Carr and Jerri Rawls, helped plant the flags.

&uot;I was up at 4:30 this morning,&uot; an obviously fatigued Rawls said Thursday afternoon.

Town Zoning Administrator Jay Randolph said most folks in the town enjoy the flags, one of which flies in front of the Town Hall, and leave them up even after the holiday.

&uot;Its kind of one of those starts of a neat little tradition,&uot; Randolph said.

Patriotic Pride Week in Windsor culminates this evening on Duke Street near Windsor High School. Duke Street will be barricaded. There will be food and bands beginning at 6:30 with a fireworks display scheduled for 9:30.