CANADA FLAG PROJECT KICKS OFF SECOND YEAR by Hal Quilliam
Following a successful launch in the Fall of 2008, the Canada Flag Project
kicks into gear in April 2009. One hundred and fifty new flags have been
purchased and will be available for our members to obtain subscriptions
for the May 18, 2009 Victoria Day long weekend.
The project showed a profit for its first year, and the first years flags are fully paid for. The flags subscribed by the public in 2008 are committed for planting on the three holiday weekends in 2009. The new flags will produce new revenue when subscribed in 2009. In future years the flags will produce far greater net proceeds as the costs will have been covered in the first year of subscription.
The flags are readily accepted by the public. Once the flags were planted in our neighborhoods last fall several of our members were approached by other neighbors requesting flags for their yards too. Unfortunately we were "sold out".
On that basis it is expected that sales of subscriptions for 2009 will be easier now that some of the residents of neighborhoods have seen the flags flying.
It does stir the heart and the innate patriotism that Canadians have, and many want to show their love of Canada.
All members of the club can help in this program. Work parties are going to be put together to ready the flagpoles and assemble the flags for planting. What an excellent way for a group of Strathcona Rotarians to get together to socialize and assist the Club Flag Program with a little bit of work together for a couple of hours.
The poles need to be painted and the knobs have to be attached; the flags need to be attached to the poles; the stands need to be painted. Each of these jobs is not difficult and is an opportunity to talk with your fellow member while the work is accomplished.
We are not totally pioneering here. We are following the lead of a successful program in Texas that has run several years, with ever increasing numbers of flags being subscribed each year. Bruce Flesher brought this concept back from Texas. While Bruce was entertaining a Rotary guest from Texas who is involved with the program there, the guest explained their flag program to Bruce and to Hal Quilliam. Bruce and Hal decided to approach the Strathcona Board for approval to commence the Canada Flag Program here, and it took off from there.
Bill Skelly has been very instrumental in flag subscriptions in his home district. He is of the mind that he will sell at least as many subscriptions in 2009 as he did in 2008 now that his neighbors have seen the product. The writer of this article shares his view and expects that second years sales will be easier than the first year in his district. Sign up for some flags and meet your neighbors in your own district!
The flags are subscribed for $50.00 annually. A Rotarian will plant the flag in a subscriber's front yard three times during the summer season. They will be planted just before the Victoria Day weekend commencement, before the July 1 Canada Day weekend commencement and just before the commencement of the Labor Day long weekend near the beginning of September. After the holiday weekends are over, a
Rotarian will retrieve the flags and store them until the next planting date.
Planting and retrieving is easy and quick. The flags and mounting spikes are easily transported in a family car. The optimum result can be obtained by selling subscriptions in your own neighborhood, as it allows for easy planting and retrieval.
In the second year of a subscription, the householder is going to be provided with a charitable donation receipt for $40.00 of his $50.00 second year subscription fee.
The charitable donation receipt will be issued by the Rotary District 5370 Foundation, and after collection of our proceeds the funds will be directed to the District Foundation. Funds held by the District 5370 Foundation can then be disbursed to Charitable Organizations at the Strathcona Clubs direction. Offering the charitable donation receipt will reduce the cost of the subscribers participation by 50% ( assuming he has other charitable donations in the amount of $200 annually already). That is a likely scenario in today's world.
We need each of our Club members to join in the program, take some flags and introduce them to your neighbors. Clearly the easy way to do that is to have a flag flying in your own yard, and thereby show your "patriotism and love of Canada"
When your neighbors see yours, they will want one in their yard too.
One member related the story of how he had a flag in his yard and approached a neighbor for a subscription for his yard. Initially he said " no thanks". The next day he came to the Rotarian who had offered one and said he had changed his mind and wanted a flag for his yard. At that time our Rotary member uprooted the flag in his own yard and planted it in his neighbor's yard, and went and got another one for his own yard.
A common question from our members is why we don't do a flag planting on November 11 (Remembrance Day) Sometimes the weather on Remembrance Day is not conducive to flag planting or any other outdoor activity in Edmonton. Sometimes there is snow on the ground, and the ground could be partly frozen.
While Remembrance Day would be an excellent time to show our Patriotism, we have decided that a planting that day would likely only present problems for our program, and it is better to moving forward, rather than face the possibility of having to retreat from a commitment. We have therefore chosen the three summer long weekends for our Canada Flag plantings.
Any questions please speak to Bruce Flesher, Hal Quilliam or Bill Skelly.
Please join the program with the minimum of a flag for your own yard.
This article submitted by Hal Quilliam
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