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Schools

A flag in every classroom? Yes!

The fund to buy American flags for Pasco County classrooms is reaching its goal, thanks mainly to individual donors.

By STEPHEN HEGARTY
Published June 29, 2005

Community donors have seen to it that Pasco schools will have no trouble putting American flags in every classroom.

After a short fundraising campaign boosted by a generous surprise donation from a Hudson man of modest means, Pasco County schools have enough money to put a flag in every classroom.

Some of the money is already in hand in the form of checks sent to the Pasco Education Foundation. Some money is pledged. Either way, it appears the school district will easily comply with a new state law requiring the flags.

"I gave us to the middle of July to raise the money," said Chip Wichmanowski, director of the Pasco Education Foundation. "But it looks like we're there already."

The school district estimated it needed about $8,000 to buy flags for new schools and for some classrooms that did not have flags large enough to comply with the new law. Wichmanowski and state Sen. Mike Fasano, the New Port Richey Republican who authored the flag bill, wrote a letter soliciting donations from area businesses and veterans groups. The campaign got off to a great start when John Curtis, a retired police officer living in Hudson, pledged $4,000.

Wichmanowski said the foundation has received some donations from businesses and groups, but most of the pledges thus far have come from individuals - many of them inspired by Curtis' generosity.

If the campaign yields more than the $8,000 needed this year, Wichmanowski said, the extra money will be used to buy more classroom flags as new schools are built.

[Last modified June 29, 2005, 04:42:50]