V.F.W. Transfers Flag Duty
Those attending the Ladies Village Improvement Society’s 121st annual fair on Saturday may witness a moving illustration of continuity in the face of impermanence.
In an 11:30 a.m. ceremony, members of the Everit Albert Herter Veterans of Foreign Wars post in East Hampton will officially conclude a duty they have fulfilled on behalf of the L.V.I.S. for many years: the placing of American flags at sites throughout the village on national holidays and other important dates.
But the task of planting scores of flags at sunrise, and their subsequent removal, has been taken up by other civic-minded residents. Officials of the East Hampton Chamber of Commerce and the Y.M.C.A. East Hampton RECenter have taken the baton and will, as of Saturday, oversee the duty.
The L.V.I.S. has bought, repaired, and stored over 100 flags, and its partnership with the V.F.W. post lasted more than 60 years, according to a letter to The Star from the society’s board of directors. “Unfortunately, the V.F.W. can no longer continue with this responsibility because of its aging membership, a major concern for V.F.W. posts across the country,” the letter read. “For the L.V.I.S., the ending of this partnership with the V.F.W. is a poignant moment in our history. We are deeply indebted to all of the gentlemen of Everit Albert Herter Post 550.”
Anne Thomas, president of the L.V.I.S., remembers the call from John Geehreng, the post’s commander. “He said our problem is, ‘We are too few and we are too old,’ ” she said. “That is the heart of the matter.”
While armed conflicts continue to create veterans, many younger vets, unable to afford the cost of living on the South Fork, have relocated to other regions. Among those who remain, many lack the time for membership in the V.F.W. or its activities, said Brian Carabine, the Everit Albert Herter post’s quartermaster and a past commander.
“The post is aging out,” Mr. Carabine said. “It’s difficult to get new members because people, when they go into service, tend not to come back, unless they have a family situation — housing is almost impossible for a young person. We’ve had a couple of younger members, but they’re working three jobs.”
The post has approximately 100 members, Mr. Carabine said, though around 30 of them live elsewhere. “Most of them are elderly,” he said. “It’s difficult, because once people retire, many sell out, move south, and have a nice life in retirement, where they couldn’t here. People can manage to hang on while they’re working, but once they retire, it becomes more difficult. A few of us have managed to be here for the long haul, but it’s difficult for most. We ran out of people to manage to do this.”
But a tradition started by the L.V.I.S. in 1896 will live on. Ms. Thomas spoke with Steven Ringel, the chamber of commerce’s executive director. Mr. Ringel, in turn, contacted Glenn Vickers, executive director of the RECenter. “Steve is such a go-getter,” she said. “I went to him and said, ‘We have a problem.’ He said, ‘How can I help?’ ”
“I, and the chamber, feel very deeply committed to this happening,” Mr. Ringel said, “and approached the Y.M.C.A. East Hampton RECenter, who felt the same way. We decided to jointly take on the project.” Mr. Ringel said that he and Mr. Vickers, and the volunteers they recruit, will place and remove the flags on behalf of the L.V.I.S.
“We always push to make sure that we’re very involved in the community in everything we do,” Mr. Vickers said. “When the opportunity came about, we felt it was our civic duty to support a great organization. We’ve got plenty of people, members and staff, that are fully engaged here, and we always say the more, the merrier.”
“This is a three-way partnership between the L.V.I.S., the chamber of commerce, and the RECenter,” Mr. Ringel said. “We just want this tradition to carry on. We’re very honored to do that with them, and with all the respect and ceremony that something like this should have.”
Ms. Thomas said that more than 60 flags would be placed on Main Street, between the large flagpole on the village green and the veterans’ monument at the Hook Mill green, on approximately nine days each year. Flags will adorn Main Street on holidays including Martin Luther King’s Birthday, Armed Forces Day, Memorial Day, Flag Day, Independence Day, Labor Day, and Veterans Day. The flags will also be erected on the day of the L.V.I.S. fair and on Sept. 11, the anniversary of the 2001 terrorist attacks in New York City and Washington, D.C.
“It’s going to be quite an inaugural run on Saturday,” Mr. Ringel said. “The V.F.W. will be coming with us for their last journey, so to speak.”
“It’s not that hard to do,” Mr. Carabine said, “but it’s a commitment, which is the difficult thing. It never goes away.”
“Thanks to the chamber and the Y,” Ms. Thomas said. “This is a lovely triumvirate, a great example of the community all pitching in to work together. We should see more of that.”