Monument to
get new flagpole
By Linda Lemmon
Town Crier Editor
PUTNAM — A new flagpole for the Grove Street Civil War Monument will be coming soon after the Putnam Veterans Advisory Committee’s successful fund-raisers.
A chicken BBQ and a fund-raiser at WINY Radio raised a total of $5,078 and the committee is coordinating with a vendor on the project, according to committee Chairman Robert B. Challinor Jr. “We hope to get the concrete base in before the ground freezes,” he said. If the concrete goes in within the next month, it will cure over the winter and the new flagpole will be installed in the spring.
The flagpole is more than 100 years old, having been installed in 1912. Some refurbishing has done but Challinor said it’s old, rusted and in need of constant painting. The new flagpole will have all its working inside the pole.
“We hope this new one will last another 100 years,” he said.
Committee members thanked community members and local businesses for their “overwhelming support,” said Challinor.
The committee is made up of veteran members from: Putnam VFW Post 1523, American Legion Post 13, Knights of Columbus Council 64, and the Putnam Elks Lodge 574. The state instructed each town to create a veterans advisory committee and Putnam is one of only three or four towns in the state to have one up and running, according to Recreation Director Willie Bousquet. Challinor said the committee is created to assist veterans in the area and to fund-raise to fill local veterans’ needs. It is pursuing a 501(c) 3 non-profit designation which will make the committee eligible for grants and allow donations to be tax deductible.

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