FAYETTE — The Fayette General Store and owner Meredith Lee are running a fundraising initiative to start an Avenue of Flags in Fayette. The initiative will direct funds towards the purchasing of at least 20 American flags that will be flown downtown from the Fayette Central School to the general store.
Lee said she admired the Avenue of Flags in adjacent towns. There are currently similar initiatives in Livermore Falls, Jay and Wilton, among others. Lee decided to put out a donations jar at her store after floating the idea with customers interested in donating.
“When you come down through a town that is lined with American flags, you just feel nice, it feels like a nice sense of community,” Lee said. “I feel like it really just welcomes everybody and says we support everybody, we care, especially (to) our veterans and people that are serving.”
Lee has lived in Fayette for 20 years and owned the general store for two.
At the time of publication, the initiative had so far raised about $700 as they aim for $800 to cover the cost of taxes and expenses for 20 flags, poles and brackets. Lee said that of the $700, she received an anonymous $200 donation.
Among others, Lee is collaborating with Donald Simoneau, a Fayette resident, veteran and American Legion Post 10 member. Simoneau is an experienced Avenue of Flags fundraiser. He’s worked with the American Legion for 20 to 25 years to support Avenue of Flags projects in Livermore Falls and Jay. He said he sits in downtown Livermore Falls every Monday morning to collect donations.
Now, Simoneau is assisting Fayette by working with the American Legion to order flags and procuring brackets and poles. He is also coordinating with Central Maine Power Company to get approval to hang the flags on company poles. Simoneau also sat in downtown Fayette on Saturday, July 3 collecting donations.
He first got involved with the Fayette initiative after he stopped by the store to “get a pizza” and was asked to help.
Simoneau said initiatives like the Avenue of Flags are important “to show pride in our community and show pride in our country.”
“I have passion for the flag and passion for my country and communities. We live in a great community,” Simoneau said.
Lee plans to keep fundraising going each year to update the display.
“We’re going to plan on doing this forever,” Lee said. “I think it’d be a good little addition to our town.”
Comments are not available on this story.
Send questions/comments to the editors.
