Flags to fly high over Prospect

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Republican U.S. Senate candidate nominee Linda McMahon, third from the left, donates a flag to the Prospect Flag Fund April 27 outside of Prospect Town Hall. McMahon was greeted by, from left, Mayor Robert Chatfield, Robert Hiscox, and U.S. Army veteran Bob Moraniec. –ELIO GUGLIOTTI

PROSPECT — A sense of patriotism will soon be flapping in the breeze above the streets of Prospect.

The Prospect Flag Fund, an initiative spearheaded by resident Robert Hiscox to buy American flags to mount on poles along downtown streets, has raised more than four times Hiscox’s goal.

Over $10,000 has been raised in just under two months to buy the flags. When Hiscox announced his plans in early March, his goal was to raise $2,500 in order to buy 50 3-feet-by-4-feet American flags to mount.

Hiscox said he never dreamed the project would so much money. He said the people and businesses in town have been very generous.

“It’s been well received in town,” Hiscox said about the project.

Word of the project has spread beyond the town’s borders. Last Friday afternoon, Republican U.S. Senate candidate nominee Linda McMahon stopped by Town Hall to donate a flag to Hiscox.

With the $10,000 the town has been able to buy 150 flags. Hiscox said 100 flags will be put up downtown while the rest will be saved as replacement flags.

“The goal is to do the entire parade route, so Memorial Day we’ll march under a canopy of flags,” Hiscox said.

The project has been embraced by the community. Boy Scouts from town helped to unpack the flags at Town Hall and Ed Brasche, owner of Ed The Treeman, has volunteered to mount the flags.

The plan is to begin putting up the flags this week or next, Hiscox said.

Hiscox said enough money has been raised to buy replacement flags for two years or buy more flags to mount on side streets. It’s undetermined right now which way the town will go, he said.

The town is still accepting donations with the hopes of making the fund self-sufficient, Hiscox said.

To donate, checks can be made out to: Town of Prospect — Flag Fund, and mailed to Prospect Flag Fund, Prospect Town Hall, 36 Center St., Prospect, CT 06712.

Anyone or organization interested in helping out can call Hiscox at (203) 758-4687.