MOLINE, Illinois — While many events were cancelled during Memorial Day weekend, one Quad City tradition continues to grow during the pandemic.
Four years ago, the Moline Breakfast Optimist Club started with zero flags. . They have grown to over 1,000 flags stretching from Rock Island to Hampton.
Early Monday morning, members of the Moline High School History Club met at Milltown Coffee to set up 100 flags along Moline's River Drive.
"I haven't woken up this early in a while," laughs Moline History Club member, Jurnee Donaldson.
The Moline History Club partners with the Optimist Club for their Avenue of the Flags Program.
"It's nice even in an isolated way to come together and serve your community," says Moline High School History teacher, Colette Guerdet.
"You're American," says Bob Moore, member of the Moline Breakfast Optimist Club. "And this makes you very proud to go down River Drive or Ben Butterworth Parkway and see 100 flags. It's a beautiful sight, it really is."
The Optimist Club puts 3-by-5 foot flags in front yards of those who donate $45. Half the money goes back to youth programs in the Quad Cities, the other half goes back to the organizations who help put up the flags. The star spangled banners stand strong five flag holidays of the year (Memorial Day, 4th of July, Flag Day, Veteran's Day, and Labor Day), but this Memorial Day rings different.
"If we are here to memorialize peoples lives and there's such an enormous loss of life," says Charlie Poor, a Moline High School student. "Yeah, I think we have to take some extra time and think about all the people that have passed."
We not be able to gather and honor those who sacrificed their lives for our freedom.
"Especially in times like this it kind of does show unity and yet we can all come together but socially distance apart and just put up flags," says Kayla Veto, a Moline High School student.
The flags stay up for one day and are taken down at dusk. If you are interested in putting a flag on your front lawn, go to the Moline Breakfast Optimist Club website here.