Elkhorn teens start flag business to boost patriotism
The business celebrate American holidays while helping them raise money for college and upcoming mission trips.
ELKHORN, Neb. (WOWT) - A group of teens in Elkhorn is hoping you’ll celebrate the upcoming Memorial Day weekend by supporting their small business.
Mason Miller, Andrew Decker, Luke Bartlett, Kade Foy, and Dallin McCune are the young minds behind Flying Old Glory. The teens, who range in age from 12 to 14, go to Elkhorn Grandview Middle and Elkhorn Middle schools and met in class or at church.
Their idea is simple: “We go around and set up American flags in people’s yards,” says 14-year-old Miller, who says he thought of the idea with his dad after hearing of a similar idea being done by a group of boy scouts.
On American holidays and remembrance days, the boys place an American flag at the end of their customer’s driveway. The goal is to have as many homes on their neighborhood streets showing their support.
“It’s always really nice to drive up a street and see a bunch of flags flying in a row,” Miller says.
All it takes is a piece of re-bar and a PVC pipe with an American flag. The pieces are purchased, measured, cut and assembled by the young men themselves, then placed in yards at dawn.
“Fourth of July, Veterans Day, 9/11, Flag Day, and Memorial Day,” explains Decker, who is 13 years old.
At dusk, the group returns to collect and safely store the flags until the next holiday.
They began their business in 2019, and have been steadily growing it since. All of them tell 6 News they knew right away that it was something they wanted to be a part of.
“We really liked how it helped to spread patriotism in our community and we also wanted to save up for our future, so we just decided to start the business,” says 14-year-old Bartlett.
“I want to go to BYU, so that’s what I’m saving up for. And my mission trip,” says 12-year-old Foy.
Recently, they’ve had an increase in customers and say they hope to keep the momentum going.
“The year before this, we had no idea that the next year we would have enough people to actually expand to other neighborhoods, and it was just very great,” 13-year-old McCune tells 6 News.
They plan to keep their business going until they head off to college. When it’s time for them to leave home, they want to pass the business along to another group of young men who will continue spreading their American pride in Elkhorn and beyond.
The group can be contacted on their Facebook page.
Copyright 2021 WOWT. All rights reserved.
