It’s that time of year when sleeping perennial flowers bloom, trees sprout their leaves, grasses are beginning to green up, and people emerge from their homes to spend time outside. Another special event occurs in May: the Granby Lions Club, assisted by the Town’s Public Works Department, posts dedicated American Flags on the utility poles throughout the center of town.
The Lions began this revered tradition more than 15 years ago to honor the town’s veterans and special citizens, families, and friends. From Memorial Day through Veterans Day, our town’s center and beyond is alive with American flags, reminding of the dedication and sacrifices made by service men and women, our citizens and neighbors.
The Granby Lions’ Flag Committee inspects the flags and poles to ensure they are acceptable to be posted around town. As expected, this year more than a dozen poles were bent or broken and some flags were damaged beyond repair. Those flags will be given to the American Legion Shannon-Shattuck Post 182 for a respect-filled retirement.
To keep the dedicated flags flying and replace those destroyed, the Granby Lions Club is offering the opportunity to dedicate a flag in memory of a beloved veteran or private citizen. For a donation of $100, name(s) will be placed on a flag pole, and will remain there in perpetuity.
The following are the current dedications for town flags. Please limit the dedication’s wording to “In memory of (name)” or “In honor of (name).” The service branch may be included as well. Donation checks should be made out to The Granby Lions Foundation and mailed to P.O. Box 191, Granby, CT 06035.
Current Flag Dedications (Wording From Existing Labels)
In Memory Of SPC Richard C. Emmons III – 7/8/88 – 5/31/2011, Enduring Freedom
In Honor Of Granby Veterans
Ted Lepkowicz
Melisa K. Fusick
Jim Jones
William F. Hart
Atty. & Mrs. Philip D. Main
Stephen Olivieri
Jimmy Morin
Rod And Janice Reynolds
Ed Zdun
Barbara/Robert Merrick
Howard W. Gore
Beckett, Ani, Harry Cashman
Michael F. Fusick
Andrew L. Mangold
Jeffrey R. Fusick
Lt. Col. David E. Hunn, WWII
Kenneth McFarland, Vietnam Veteran
In Memory Of Seth Holcombe
In Honor Of Robert N. Beman
In Honor Of Oliver Ellsworth
Robert Purinton & Beverly Purinton
In Memory Of Matteo T. Mignone
In Honor Of Bill Sproull
In Memory Of Tommy Basil – US Navy
In Memory Of Rozell Stidd
In Memory Of George F. Havens
In Honor Of Air Force SSGT Peter S. Goff
In Memory Of Navy Fire Controlman 3rd Class
William C. Austin
Luke Milan, Killed In Action – Afghanistan 2007
In Loving Memory of our Father and Grandfather Lt. Commander Edward J. Wilmont
William T. Conroy Sr., William T. Conroy Jr., William T. Conroy III
Sgt. David J. Spatcher Jr. — 5/18/21-7/21/44, WWII, Pacific Theater
In Memory Of Ralph J. Stupak, WWII Veteran
Elizabeth/John Cavanaugh, East Granby Republican Town Committee
In Memory of Justus N. Arnold, U.S. Army
In Memory of Michael J. Arnold, Sr., U.S. Air Force
In Honor of Michael J. Arnold, Jr., U.S. Army &
CT Air National Guard
In Memory of Al & Nancy Benyi
In Memory of Whitney Maus
In Memory of Edward Hodgson, Army Air Corps, WWII
In Memory of Robert D. Horne, U.S. Navy
In Memory of Paul Schneider, Army Medics, WWII