Why The Flag at El Paso’s Old Glory Memorial Needs To Keep Flying

When you drive down US-54, it's incredibly hard to miss the giant U.S. flag waving proudly next to the highway, right off of Gateway North. But anyone who's been there knows that it's not just a flagpole... it's much more than that. It is the site of the Old Glory Memorial & it has been a symbol of remembering our veterans in El Paso for years.

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Ever since I was born in a military hospital in Berlin, Germany back in 1993, my life has been very much revolved around the military. Many important men in my family have all served in the Army & the Air Force for over 20 years. So when I went to go visit the site of the Old Glory Memorial, I was quite emotional. Everywhere you look, you see plaques & memorials with names of the brave soldiers who fought for our country. Some... paid the ultimate price...

While I was on my visit I was greeted by two members of the El Paso Flags Across America, a nonprofit organization in charge of running the Old Glory Memorial. One of them was Tony Lewis, who not only owns his own shop, "Tony Lewis Collision & Paint" on McCombs, he's the president of El Paso Flags Across America.

In my interview with Tony, he explained to me how the Memorial was built back in 2003, that the EPCC campus actually lent them the land for the Memorial, he even told me that there are names of soldiers & members of the group on the metal ball ON TOP of the flag (including one of the oldest members who passed away recently). He also explained the financial situation for the memorial. Since the flag was put up so long ago, the pole had gotten badly damaged & combined with all the bad weather we've had, the original pole had to be replaced. The Memorial took a huge hit financially just having to bring the pole down & to replace it with a new one.

After visiting the site in person, you can sense how important the Memorial is. Not just to the veterans, but for everyone in El Paso & America. The flag represents the freedom we have... the freedom we have had it not be for the sacrifices made by the brave men & women who fight for our country.

If you wish to make a donation to help the Old Glory Memorial replace the flagpole so they can continue operating the site, you can make a donation on their GoFundMe page, go visit the Old Glory Memorial at 9500 Gateway North, or you can donate on the Old Glory Memorial webpage.