US flag flying again at Quartz Hill clinic site
QUARTZ HILL — The Stars and Stripes are back at the corner of Avenue L-8 and 50th Street West fluttering in the breeze after a group of community volunteers worked together to honor America on its 245th birthday with a flag-raising ceremony.
It has been a tradition for Old Glory to fly from the 60foot tall pole in front of the First Valley Medical Group clinic since the clinic’s former owner, the late Dr. John R. Blodgett Jr., and wife Geri Blodgett started it about 25 years ago.
Joe Walker Middle School STEALTH Academy teacher Matt Anderson organized community members and donations to replace the flag last year after it had been empty for several months. That flag needed to be replaced this year after the cable broke and the wind whipped the flag, ripping it up.
Anderson got help from a former student, Chris Casaus, owner of Get Hooked Crane Services. Casaus brought his crane to the flag pole so the torn flag could be removed and the cable replaced. The Knights of Columbus St. Leonard Murialdo Council No. 10667, Anwar Caram of California Prudential Real Estate Services and First Val
ley Medical Group donated the money to purchase the new flag.
They scheduled the flag-raising ceremony for Sunday morning — Independence Day. The ceremony was attended by Casaus, Caram, Geri Blodgett, several veterans including Phil Roberts, who passed out US flags for people’s cars, the Quartz Hill community queens, and the Knights of Columbus, who helped with their Fourth Degree Color Guard.
Married Westside Union School District teachers Matt and Elizabeth Anderson were also there. Joe Walker teacher Amy Durfee and her daughters helped pass out doughnuts and flags. Westside Union School District employee Bill Bingham helped Matt Anderson on the ladder to raise the flag.
“I love our American flag, and seeing a humongous flag being hoisted on a 60-foot flagpole brought tears to my eyes,” Geri Blodgett said. “A special thanks to Matt Anderson, the Knights of Columbus, the First Valley Medical Group, Mr. Anwar Caram, and Get Hooked Crane Services.”
”Quartz Hill has shown me that the greatness of a community is measured by the actions and compassion or its members,” said Kylie Rublin, Miss Quartz Hill 2021. “During our global pandemic, I saw our community rally around small businesses, start a local food bank, and come together.”
Riley Hernandez, Teen Miss Quartz Hill 2021, who was born and raised in Quartz Hill, also praised the event.
“It is my hometown,” she said. “And I am proud of that. It may be a small community, but it is big in my heart.”
Little Miss Quartz Hill 2021 Addie Stokes added that the community is all about family, friends and fun to her.
“Seeing everyone come together really makes me happy,” she said.
Matt Anderson thanked his wife Elizabeth for her support.
“It was an honor to help raise this flag that has become our community flag that John and Geri Blodgett started so many years ago,” he said. “To have the community come together after what everyone has been through was truly a blessing and a fantastic way to start our nation’s birthday.”