BELLVILLE — A giant American flag is fluttering in the wintry breeze above Love’s Travel Stop in Bellville once again.
Members of the Richland Community Development Group (RCDG) erected a long-awaited new flag on Jan. 26. The last flag was taken down about two and a half months ago due to irreversible wind damage.
“We refuse to fly a flag that’s torn, so we had to remove it,” said Bellville Mayor Teri Brenkus, who heads the project through the RCDG’s beautification committee.
The beautification committee ordered two supersized flags last summer, but its supplier was backlogged due to COVID restrictions and election orders. The committee had to operate without a back-up flag for months. So, the pole was empty whenever the star-spangled banner needed restitching.
“The windstream up there is extreme,” Brenkus explained. “The first time we see a slight feathering, we have to get it repaired right away because when you get it down it’s like a foot and a half deep.”
The committee finally received its two custom flags in January. The Richland County Veterans Service Commission sponsored one flag and the Richland County Korean War Veterans Association sponsored the other.
The flags cost about $1,500 each, but Veterans Service Commission President Doug Theaker said it’s well worth the cost to pay tribute to veterans.
“As a longtime veteran advocate, I feel like it’s my duty and honor and privilege,” Theaker said. “Whether you’re traveling north or south, you can see this beautiful symbol of American freedom.”
Ken Estep, executive director at the Veterans Service Commission, agreed. Estep said that no matter where they are from, veterans can drive by the flag and feel their service is appreciated.
“It benefits all the community, not just Bellville,” he said. “It means everything. That’s what a lot of us went to war for — to defend our country and defend our constitution.”
Bellville’s original “monster flag” was installed in 2018 just off I-71 at the State Route 97 exit in Bellville. At 30 by 60 feet, it is believed to be the largest flag between Cleveland and Columbus. The flag pole stands 130 feet tall and the flag itself weighs more than 7,000 pounds.
The giant flag has become a beloved spectacle since its installation two and a half years ago.
“It’s such a beautiful display of showing our veterans the gratitude that they certainly deserve,” Brenkus said. “As soon as it’s missing, people want to know what’s going on.”
Flags are taken down for repair every two to three months, but generally last only six months before they become too tattered to fly.
“It’s impossible to take it down every single time there’s a wind storm coming because it takes a few people to take it down and if the wind kicks in, there’s no safe way to take it down,” Brenkus added.
Local volunteer Bill Sheriff helps with maintenance. TLC Kanvas has donated the supplies and labor to restitch and repair the flag since the project’s inception.
“We offered time and time again to pay them for their services and they insist that they’re happy to be supporting the monster flag and the veterans,” Brenkus said. “Without them repairing our flag it would be impossible to keep up with the maintenance.”
Donations for future flags can be made to RCDG’s beautification committee through the Richland Area Chamber of Commerce.
