A Flag for Mary Love
Arbor Oaks Health & Rehabilitation resident, Mary Love, recently told staff at the medical facility that her utmost wish was to receive an American flag that had previously flown over the Capitol Building in Little Rock, which is a customary practice for the most fortunate and well-deserving of Arkansans.
Mary’s wish is more common than you may think and is an appeal that was born off the heels of the Capitol
Flag Program, which began in 1937 after a member of Congress requested to take possession of a flag that had flown over the U.S. Capitol.
Participants of the Capitol Flag Program can purchase a flag through one of their federal representatives and request to have it flown over the U.S. Capitol, a process facilitated through the offices of the Architect of the Capitol (AOC).
Currently, the AOC fulfills on average more than 100,000 flag requests from Members of Congress annually, with the number of requests and the popularity of the Capitol Flag Program growing steadily each year.
Mary’s wish differed in that she wanted to get her hands on a flag that had flown over the Capitol Building in Little Rock. Her heartfelt appeal was answered by local legislators, and she didn’t have to pay a dime!
Mary’s wish was granted by State Senator for District 7, Alan Clark (AR-R), who got the wheels in motion after Hot Spring County Judge Dennis Thornton heard about Mary’s desire and reached out to the state official to see what they could do to make Mary’s wish come true. The two stopped by Arbor Oaks last Thursday to present Mary with a flag that was flown over the State Capitol earlier in March, along with a certificate of authenticity and recognition.