BRISTOL – Joe Englert continued a 20-year tradition, started by his late father Bill, on Wednesday, by installing 260 flags on poles along Route 6 and other parts of Bristol with the help of Art Ward and Tim Gamache.
Englert, owner of City True Value Hardware, said his father Bill began raising the flags 20 years ago as part of his work with the Route 6 Beautification Committee.
“He set them up for 10 years and now I’ve set them up for 10 years with the help of Art Ward and Tim Gamache as the driver,” Englert said. “We put up 260 flags this year on Route 6, part of Route 72 near the Giamatti Little League Center and parts of Forestville near Central Street.”
Englert said raising the flags is something he looks forward to doing every year.
“It’s really beautiful to go down Route 6 and see all the flags up,” he said. People are so happy to see them. »
Gamache said he looks forward to working with Englert and Ward on this project each year.
“It says a lot about Joe and his family that they’ve kept this tradition alive,” Gamache said. “Joe’s dad, Bill, started and asked Art and me to help him. We had no problem doing that. From a citywide perspective, it feels good to see those American flags on Route 6, the Forestville Center, and around Mix Street. I hope we will continue to do so.
Ward said Bill Englert was a good friend of his and he thanked Joe Englert for carrying on the tradition. He said the flags are something people look forward to seeing each year around Memorial Day.
“It’s very gratifying to see the way people appreciate it,” Ward said.
Englert added that the job is not done once the flags are raised. He, along with Ward and Gamache, also come out to service them if it’s very rainy or windy.
Englert also thanked his mother Rosemarie Englert, his sister Michelle Perry and Linda DiMatteo for helping prepare the flags.
Mayor Jeff Caggiano praised Englert, Ward and Gamache for their efforts on the Bristol CT Mayor’s Office Facebook page and the Bristol Talks community page. He also tagged the message “#bristolallheart”.
“Thank you Joe Englert of City True Value Hardware and Art Ward for hanging flags on Route 6 – a long time tradition started by Joe’s dad Bill!” Caggiano wrote.
Caggiano said Thursday morning he noticed the trio raising the flags and stopped to take a photo.
“It was such a great moment for All Heart Bristol,” he said. “It’s the best part of my new job, catching great people from Bristol who are doing great things to give back to our city. Their efforts are essential in remembering, on this solemn weekend, the sacrifices that have been made for our freedoms.
Brian M. Johnson can be reached at 860-973-1806 or bjohnson@bristolpress.com.
