New Flags Fly Proudly Across Renovo Thanks to Generosity and Community Support
By Kevin Rauch
As many area residents and those passing through town, particularly over Memorial Day Weekend may have noticed, all of the Flags flying at the 16th Park Memorial as well as all American Flags on the streets and bridges are full of bright and full of colors, proudly displaying the towns American Pride.
One person and two groups it turns out are responsible for quietly not only buying all new flags but having them raised and prominently flying on poles throughout Renovo. No matter how you enter Renovo, all three bridges exhibit the vibrant Red, White and Blue, as too are the ones along the streets of town.
The County had previously provided the American Flags for the bridges but no longer offer them so Vince Tarantella, a veteran of both the US Marine Corps as well as the PA National Guard personally purchased all new flags. After he made the purchase, as an employee of the Renovo Borough Tarantella hung them all at their specified locations.
The area veterans of course immediately noticed the new flags and soon realized that it was Tarantella who had paid for them, not speaking of it to anyone.
Although the appreciation was instant, so too was the realization that the price tag of the flags should not have fallen to one person. The committee members of both The American Legion Post 442 Memorial committee as well as the Hometown Hero program agreed to each jump in and pay half of the costs back to Tarantella.
“Vinnie is something else, he’s just such an asset to our community and literally does just about anything that he can do to fix something when he sees that something or someone needs help” said fellow veteran George Crouse. Crouse is on both the American Legion Memorial as well as the Hometown Hero program committees.
“Especially as Memorial Day had been approaching, we needed the new flags in place, thanks to Vinnie and the two committees we were able to get them all in place and ready to be flying on the bridges and throughout Renovo” summed up Crouse.
Anyone wanting to help for future flag purchases can help to do so by making contributions to the American Legion Memorial Fund at PO Box 189 Renovo PA 17764.
