Avenue of Flags

The Avenue of Flags idea was brought to the Centralia Cemetery Board by Cemetery Advisory Board member Jan Hollis in July 2005. She had seen the display in Neodesha, Kansas and thought it would be nice for Centralia to have an Avenue of Flags Display. The City Cemetery board consisting of the following members: Thelma Chandler, Chester Fritch, Jan Hollis, Greg Pauley, Oneda Roberts and Minnie Simmons, worked closely with several organizations such as the VFW Post and the Centralia Flower and Garden Club and area citizens to form the Avenue of Flags Committee. Active members of the committee besides the cemetery board members are: Dennis Mills, Mary Frances George, Marjorie Motley, Don Bobbitt, Don Bagley, and Kathy Colvin. Anyone is welcome to attend the meetings as volunteers are very important to this organization!

Guidelines were prepared to be eligible for a memorial flag to be display for a veteran. The Committee’s goal was to have all the area veterans killed in action (KIA) flags flying by Memorial Day 2006. With community donations and lots of volunteers approximately 120 flags were flying Memorial Day 2006 including 25 KIA flags. As of November, 2008 the display has grown to 290 flags.

The display is simply breathtaking and has been known to stop traffic. Weather permitting the flags are flying Memorial Day weekend through Anchor Fest weekend, July 4th and Veteran’s Day. Volunteers are always welcome to assist with putting the display up and taking it down. If you are interested in volunteering or receiving additional information about the flags, please contact Kathy Colvin at city hall 573/682-2139 or email: kathy@centraliamo.org. Volunteer names are added to a database and postcard notifications for the flag display schedule are mailed to everyone about two weeks before the scheduled display time. No-one is obligated to assist but at least you would be notified of the schedule, in case you can.

Donations are welcome for the flag display and can be used in different ways. Please see the attached flyer.

Purchasing a flag - please complete the veteran’s information form and submit to the address listed on the form along with your payment of $100.

Blue Star Memorial

The Blue Star Memorial honors service men and women. This program began with the planting of 8,000 Dogwood trees by the New Jersey Council of Garden Clubs in 1944 as a living memorial to the veterans of World War II. In 1945, the National Council of State Garden Clubs adopted the program and began the Blue Star Highway system, which covers thousands of miles across the United States, including Alaska & Hawaii. A large metal Highway Marker was placed at appropriate locations along the way.

The program was expanded to include all men and women who had served, were serving and would serve in the armed services of the United States. Centralia Flower and Garden Club constructed and dedicated our Memorial in the Centralia Cemetery along State Highway 22 on June 30, 2006. Missouri just dedicated their 54th Blue Star Memorial.