One of the signature signs of spring in Craig is American flags lining the downtown area from May through November, and it’s almost time for the flags to come out again.

The Craig Rotary Club started setting out flags in the downtown area as a part of the club’s local American Flag Project 16 years ago. Rotary sets flags out on street light poles along Yampa Avenue from Memorial Day in May through Veterans Day in November.

The service club also puts out flags every 100 yards along both sides of Victory Way from Lincoln Street to Finley Avenue on the following holidays:

• Memorial Day — May 30

• Flag Day — June 14

• Independence Day — July 4

• Colorado Day — Aug. 1

• Patriots Day — Sept. 11

• Columbus/Indigenous People Day — Oct. 10

• Veterans Day — Nov. 11

The American flags originally started making an appearance in front of Craig businesses and local residences in the early 2000s, as an Eagle Project of former Moffat County resident Lincoln Cleverly.

When Cleverly graduated from Moffat County High School, the Rotary Club decided to take on the project and put the club’s spin on it.

“It is really nice to drive through town with Old Glory lining the way,” said Randy Looper, one of the project organizers. “What a great way to impress visitors driving through the area and perhaps making them want to stop and explore Craig and Moffat County.”

Craig Rotary Club has opened up the flag project for the community to be a part of, and the project serves as one of Rotary’s annual fundraisers.

The price to sponsor a flag is $75 and local residents, businesses or community groups can sponsor as many flags as they like.

Over the years, the number of flags that Rotary puts out along Craig’s main streets has increased.

The first year Rotary led the flag project the club sold 39 flags, and club members just wanted to see how many flags they could sell. The project has been growing ever since.

In 2021, Rotary put out 197 flags along Victory Way and 27 flags downtown. The club is hoping to have even more this year. All proceeds from flag sales go to Craig Rotary’s various literacy projects in the Moffat County schools.

Some of the projects the flag project support includes the Book Buddy program, which gives new books to all second graders in Moffat County Schools; the Readopoly program with Moffat County students in grades first through fifth; RYLA Camps (Rotary Youth Leadership Award) in Estes Park, in which four local Moffat County High School and two Craig Middle School students participate in; high school scholarships; the Bob Johnson Scholarship with the Boys and Girls Club; the Dolly Parton Imagination Library, which provides free books to children in Moffat County from birth to age 5; and with many other small local projects.

For more information about Craig Rotary’s flag project or to purchase a flag, contact Randy Looper at elkruninn@yahoo.com.