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At long last, our colors fly over sheriff's
office |
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October 13, 2017 |
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Story by Mike Weland
Photos by Mike Weland and Dave Kramer |
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It was a dull, gray day in Bonners
Ferry, and a Friday the 13th at that,
but neither the cold of fall or the omen
of the date could stop a good crowd from
turning out at 11 a.m. to watch as the
American flag, with great ceremony, was
hoisted over the Boundary County
Sheriff's Office.
"Thank you for joining us today as we
share this time to dedicate and raise
our American flag," Sheriff David Kramer
said in welcoming the crowd. "Our flag
is such a symbol of what America stands
for, and not only is it an honor to fly
the flag at the sheriff's office, but as
law enforcement we stand for one nation
under God, indivisible, with liberty and
justice for all." |
It was Sheriff Kramer, after all
these years, who recognized that the
Boundary County Sheriff's Office, a
bastion of public service, was missing
the proud colors. He also noticed flag
posts standing idle at a local mill and
asked Marc Brinkmeyer, Chairman of the
Board of Idaho Forest Group, if they
might consider donating one. "No," he
said. "What you need is a new pole on
which to hoist the colors."
Earlier this week a crew, which included
Paradise Valley Fire Chief Chet Savage,
placed the bright new pole, topped with
a golden finial, to be ready for today's
ceremony.
In attendance were Idaho Forest Group
regional manager Chris Pease, Moyie
Springs plant controller Suzanne
Cullinane, maintenance planner Andy
Howe, green end supervisor Les Love and
purchaser Don Stolley, who is also
deputy Travis Stolley's dad.
Sheriff Kramer extended his thanks to
each, and to all the men and women of
Idaho Forest Group.
It's not often that a
reporter/photographer is included as a
participant in such an event, and even
more rare that a reporter/photographer
publishes his or her own photo in their
coverage. But let me explain. |
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During the ceremony, members of
Bonners Ferry Border Patrol Explorer
Post #190, the honor guard for the
event, stood ready to accept the flag to
be raised.
I was working my way to a
spot to allow a good shot, but no sooner
had I got set than Sheriff Kramer called
all the military veterans in the crowd
forward. Having once served, and being
by chance right there anyway, I stepped
in line, not realizing yet that Sheriff
Kramer intended to afford us the honor
of passing the flag,
with due respect and formality, veteran
to veteran, to the color guard.
As it slowly dawned on me what was
happening, and while I was trying to
extricate myself from the line, Sheriff
Kramer came over and asked for my camera ... |
| ... affording me the honor of
accepting the colors, albeit clumsily,
from veteran Marc Gray, a friend who
years earlier I had photographed as a
Badger athlete and who now serves as a
law enforcement officer with the U.S.
Forest Service, render and accept solemn salutes
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... and in turn pass the colors to
dear friend Mike Ashby, a Vietnam
veteran of the U.S. Navy and former
chaplain of American Legion Post 55.
In my years, I've been afforded a great
many kindnesses, but at the moment none
seem to shine quite so brightly as that
afforded me
today by the thoughtfulness, friendship
and kindness of Sheriff
Dave Kramer in taking my camera and
using it to take these pictures that I
now have and share, enabling me to take
my place among those who, like me, are
proud to have served and proud, too, to
stand in a line of veterans privileged
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| ... to have played a role in
presenting the honor guard with our
nation's ensign, the very first
flag ... |
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... to rise proudly over the Boundary County
Sheriff's Office.
~ Long
may you wave ~
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Thank you, Sheriff David Kramer |
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