Lodi flagpole dedicated
Volunteers restore memorial in time for Flag Day
As the sun shone brightly over Legion Park on Friday afternoon, Lodian John Callahan waited eagerly for city officials to dedicate a flagpole memorial he helped install.
“It’s exactly the way I envisioned it,” Callahan said. “It turned out perfectly.”
Callahan began the planning process last August, he said, when he discovered the original flagpole — dedicated in 1976 in memory of the deceased members of American Legion Auxiliary Unit 22 — had trees growing all around it.
As restoring the original flagpole would have required damaging either the trees or the pole itself, Callahan decided to install a new one himself. He began by reaching out to various departments within the City of Lodi.
“I actually went to each (department) head and asked them what it would take to complete this project,” Callahan said. “They all helped me and encouraged me.”
Callahan quickly learned that his project would require both time and materials, so he started a GoFundMe account that raised $3,000 and solicited donations of materials and labor from friends and local businesses.
“It was the contributions of Lodi business people and friends that made it possible to do it with a smaller budget,” Callahan said.
“I want to thank everybody that was able to participate in this. I hope every one of them who passes by from now on is able to take pride.”
Jeff Hood, director of the Lodi Parks, Recreation and Cultural Services Department, began by explaining that the city chose to hold the dedication on Flag Day, which commemorated the day in 1777 on which the Continental Congress officially adopted the American flag.
“In Lodi, this is the first day in a long time that we’ve had a celebration like this,” Hood said.
Hood then expressed his gratitude to Callahan for taking the lead on the project before welcoming him to the lectern.
“I just want to thank him for the work he’s done so that we can celebrate Flag Day today,” Hood said.
Beaming with pride, Callahan took a moment to address the small crowd gathered on the corner of Hutchins and Vine streets to celebrate the flagpole dedication.
“It’s not known the last day that it was flown here, but it was a long time ago,” Callahan said.
Callahan then publicly thanked the various businesses and city departments that donated the flagpole, helped restore it and poured the concrete to install it at Legion Park.
“It was an honor for me to work with all of those fine citizens and city government in making this happen,” Callahan said.
After American Legion Post 22 ran an American flag up the pole for the first time, Mayor Mark Chandler reflected on how the flag has represented the United States in good times and bad, and serves as a reminder of the sacrifices made by the men and women of the U.S. military.
“They deserve our gratitude, our respect and our affection,” Chandler said. “Today, on behalf of the City of Lodi, we offer that to you.”