Rotary club project to recognize Verona, Oakmont families with American flags

The Rotary Club of Oakmont-Verona plans to give residents of the twin boroughs an opportunity to commend or remember others with a bevy of American flags.

“It’s a way to honor the people of the community and brings recognition to the community,” said Rotary past president Don Stoner. “It helps the communities show their patriotism.”

The project is similar to ones in Murrysville and other towns throughout the country.

Flags would be placed along the walkway in Oakmont near the train tracks between Allegheny River Boulevard and Allegheny Avenue, and in Railroad Park near the Verona municipal building.

They are not specifically in recognition of military personnel or emergency responders, but rather anyone a participating family wants to acknowledge.

Flags would be on display the weekends of Memorial Day, Flag Day, Independence Day and Veterans Day.

“I think we will have an overwhelmingly large response,” Rotary president Karyn Brooks said. “I believe the 100 flags that we’ve already ordered will go like hotcakes like the Oakmonter (cake) at the Oakmont Bakery.

“It will really look nice having the pathway and different parts of Oakmont and Verona (lined with flags). It’s more of a beautification and sense of pride for the towns. There’s a lot of history in Oakmont and Verona. It’s nice to preserve it and possibly bring that history out.”

Stoner brought the flag idea to the club a few months ago, and it is very personal to him.

His brother, George, obtained a flag through the Rotary Club of McKinney in Texas in memory of their father, George Merle Stoner.

The elder was a Navy dentist who served in the Pacific during World War II. He retired as a commander in the Navy Reserves and worked as a dentist in Oakmont for decades.

Another relative in Seminole, Fla., got a flag to recognize the Navy veteran via that city’s Kiwanis Club.

Don Stoner said he plans to put a flag in Oakmont in memory of his late father and father-in-law, Harry Brown, who retired as a major in the Army and served in France and Germany during World War II.

The 3-foot-by-5-foot flags would be installed on 10-foot poles. The cost is $50 per flag.

The Rotary is working on ways to help offset the price for families.

Sponsorships for the project are available. They range from $250 for bronze level to $1,000 for platinum.

Volunteers are also wanted to prepare and install the flags.

Call or text Karyn Brooks at 412-576-4114 or Don Stoner at 412-860-7242 for more information.