MURRELLS INLET, S.C. (WMBF) - A neighborhood in Murrells Inlet placed more than 1,500 American Flags around the community ahead of Veterans Day.
“There are neighborhoods in the area that do Halloween really good and they do Christmas really good. But we do patriotism really good,” Carol Collins said.
A neighborhood, easily recognizable around patriotic holidays, like Veterans Day.
It’s a tradition that continues to grow.
“The community is growing and the volunteers are growing and the support is growing and it’s our thing,” Carol said.
When Carol and her husband Mike put out the flags for July Fourth, there were around 1,200. Now, months later, that number has grown to 1,500.
Frank Lopresti and his wife moved back to the area over the summer and had to get involved.
“Just because the way our veterans are, we got to take care of them. We got to, we got to support them and that’s the main thing very important,” Lopresti said.
Mike and Carol started the tradition with a handful of neighbors when they moved to Murrells Inlet.
Now, a majority of the neighborhood gathers before five patriotic holidays each year to put out the ever-growing number of flags.
Many feel it’s a simple way to honor those veterans and first responders who have served.
“just to feel and being in America, you know, being free and you know, if it wasn’t for them, you know, which I never was in any wars or anything. But you know, it’s just there’s a lot of sacrifice. And makes you feel good to put that American flag in the ground,” Lopresti said.
Looking ahead, a volunteer named Doug thought it would be fun to get flags for the different branches of the military and put those in the yards of those who served in addition to the American flags.
Still, Mike and Carol said it wouldn’t be possible without the nearly 50-person volunteer team.
“It’s a team effort. So you know we actually appreciate it. That support, and again hopefully it’s something that inspires others,” Mike said.
Carol and Mike plan to order a few hundred more flags for the next holiday, which will be Memorial Day.
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