For Batavia resident Martin Pieler, Flag Day always has a special significance.
“I was in the U.S. Army in Korea from 1956 to 1958 and for me, Flag Day is my country, which I’m so proud of. It means that I have a banner to wave,” Pieler said during Batavia’s Flag Day celebration Wednesday. “I’m glad that the community comes out, and for me this is also special because my daughter plays in the band. My favorite part of the ceremony is everything. It’s all good.”
The 90-minute ceremony honoring Flag Day at the Peg Bond Center and Batavia Riverwalk included a Knights of Columbus color guard, patriotic music from the Chorus of DuPage and the Batavia Community Band, information about the history of Flag Day and its local connections as well as an update on the construction of the Flag Day Monument that is currently underway in Batavia.
The program also included a chance to participate in a time capsule project.
Linda Schielke, chair of the Batavia Flag Day committee, said Flag Day events have been going on for years in the city thanks to Batavia’s connection with Dr. Bernard Cigrand “who is considered by many to be one of the founders of Flag Day.”
A longtime Batavia dentist, Cigrand worked for years to promote a day of recognition for the American flag and on June 14, 1916, President Woodrow Wilson proclaimed such a day throughout the United States.
Schielke said that the city of Batavia went on to claim Cigrand “as one of its greatest citizens” which led to the idea of building a $2 million monument to him “and the American flag and Flag Day.”
The monument, which overlooks the Fox River, is being built between the Peg Bond Center and the Jeffery D. Schielke Government Center. The monument design features a 40-foot diameter helix monument with a 10-foot-wide walkway around the perimeter. A 50-foot-tall flagpole will display a 10- by 18-foot flag.
Elements of the monument will commemorate iconic flag events, U.S. population growth, the official flags flown by the U.S., armed conflicts and a Ring of Honor with the names of those who have received the Congressional Medal of Honor.
Additionally, the monument will feature bricks purchased by families, businesses and organizations.
Officials said the monument is about two-thirds completed and will receive a full dedication on Sunday, Oct. 1.
There was a lot of enthusiasm among those in attendance at Wednesday night’s Flag Day event in Batavia.
“I’m with the American Legion and live here in Batavia and I’ve been coming for a number of years,” said David Jordan about Batavia’s Flag Day celebration. “We like this monument and are waiting to see the bricks that we bought and hope they are nicely displayed. To me, this will help people realize how much Batavia has to do with Flag Day.”
Lisa Yhjelm of Batavia said Flag Day remains important because of its Batavia connection and what it represents about our country.
“This is special as Flag Day is that small town tradition whereas like the Fourth of July is more of a national thing where this is uniquely Batavia,” Yhjelm said. “We do have a flag at home and my godfather was a Marine and so that was very important to him.”
Peggy Young of Batavia said she has been coming to the ceremony for eight years and “the flag means that we are all – everyone in the United States – a big family.”
“We have come here from a million different places and parts of the world. There are the colors and creeds and everything else and yet through all of it we are one nation and it’s amazing,” she said. “That’s what the flag represents and so that’s why I just love Flag Day.”
David Sharos is a freelance reporter for The Beacon-News.
