NEW VINEYARD — Rodney Holbrook is tending the flags that wave along New Vineyard streets every summer from Memorial Day to Labor Day as he has been doing for the past seven years.

Rodney and his wife, Norma presented the idea of placing the American flags on poles around town to the New Vineyard North Snowmobile club in which they are both active. They volunteered to gather information and received a donation of 25 flags from the Galen Cole Family Foundation.

In partnership with the New Vineyard Historical Society, an additional 48 flags were purchased. Brackets for these 72 flags were attached to utility poles by Rodney and Steve Heath along Route 27, High Street, Church Street and Lake Street. Many flags have been donated by citizens in honor of or in memory of loved ones. Frank Forster, also a member of the snowmobile club, crafted a beautiful plaque on which the names of honorees are embossed.

Every season since the flags started waving along the roads in town, Rodney has installed them in May and removed them in September, having kept vigil over them on a daily basis to ensure they are free to wave.

In the summer of 2013, Rodney added two Canadian Flags on Main Street in memory of the citizens of Lac Megantic whose down-town was destroyed by a run-away oil tanker. The New Vineyard Fire Department went to assist firefighters during their ordeal.

Typically, flags need to be replaced after three years of waving, so donations for purhasing new flags are made by the snowmobile club, by town funding and from memorial gifting. Anyone wishing to donate a flag should contact Norma Holbrook.