Local veteran working to replace worn flags

FIND A NEED -- FILL A
NEED, AS THE SAYING GOES.
THE AMERICAN FLAG IS A
SYMBOL CLOSE TO ALL OF
US, SO WHEN A VETERAN SAW
A
TATTERED FLAG FLYING IN
THE WIND -- HE DID
SOMETHING ABOUT IT.
THAT ONE ACTION GREW INTO
A NON-PROFIT
ORGANIZATION.
10 ON YOUR SIDE'S KARA
DIXON JOINS US WITH HOW
THIS GROUP COULD HELP YOU
-- AND HOW
YOU CAN JOIN THE MISSION
TO KEEP OLD GLORY FLYING
PROUDLY.
FOUNDER RYAN THORPE JUST
RETURNED HOME FROM
SERVING OVERSEAS WHEN HE
SPOTTED THAT WORN FLAG IN
SUFFOLK.
FASTFORWARD TO FIVE YEARS
LATER, THORPE'S
INSPIRATION TO HELP THEN
IS FUELING HIS
MISSION NOW.
17:33:37:23 "DRIVING DOWN
58 I SAW WHAT WAS AN OLD
GRAIN SILO. IT'S KIND OF
FALLEN DOWN NOW. THERE
WAS A FLAG AND IT WAS ALL
TORN UP."
MARINE CORPS VETERAN RYAN
THORPE DOESN'T REALLY
REMEMBER EXACTLY WHERE HE
SPOTTED THE
AMERICAN FLAG IN SUFFOLK
FIVE YEARS AGO BUT HE
DOES REMEMBER GOING TO
WAL MART SOON AFTER AND
BUYING A NEW FLAG FOR THE
ELDERLY HOMEOWNER WHO
LIVED THERE.
17:34:03:24 "HE SAID IT
WAS FOR HIS SON WHO
PASSED AWAY BECAUSE
HE WAS KILLED IN IRAQ. I
ASKED IF I COULD REPLACE
THE FLAG. HE SAID SURE. I
DID THAT AND NOW I KIND
OF
HAVE A CALLING TO
CONTINUE TO DO THAT. "
THORPE NOW GOES TO OTHER
HOMES IN THE
HAMPTON ROADS AREA TO
RESTORE OLD GLORY. IT'S
SOMETHING HE SAYS IS
NEEDED IN THIS DAY AND
AGE
WITH PEOPLE STOMPING ON
FLAGS. 17:37:42:02
"EVERYBODY THINKS THE
FLAG REPRESENTS THE
GOVERNMENT. THE FLAG
DOESN'T REPRESENT THE
GOVERNMENT. THE FLAG
REFLECTS THE PEOPLE AND
THE PEOPLE ARE THE
GOVERNMENT. THE FLAG
SHOULD BE REFLECTED."
THORPE IS RAISING MONEY
TO BUY NEW FLAGS. HE SAYS
THEY COST AROUND $18. THE
OLD FLAGS....
"THESE WILL BE TAKEN TO
THE BOY SCOUTS ON MY WAY
TO WORK TODAY."
TAKEN TO LOCAL BOY SCOUTS
TO RETIRE THEM.
THROUGH THE BOY SCOUTS TO
RESPECT THE FLAG
AND THEY'LL TEACH THEIR
FRIENDS. IT WILL GO FROM
THERE. "
THORPE HOPES THAT BY
DOING THIS, OTHERS WILL
ALSO COME TO APPRECIATE
SOMETHING HE SAYS
SYMBOLIZES ALL OF
AMERICA. 17:37:53:02
"THERE IS SOME NEGATIVES
THROUGH OUR HISTORY AS A
COUNTRY BUT WE HAVE WAY
MORE POSITIVES AND IT'S
BECAUSE OF THAT FLAG. "
THORPE IS ALSO A
SHERIFF'S DEPUTY IN
SOUTHAMPTON COUNTY.
IF YOU'D LIKE TO LEARN
MORE ABOUT HIS
ORGANIZATION, VISIT

Local veteran working to replace worn flags

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