GENESIS
In 2012, Jack Dillard, a friend of the Rotary Club of Charlotte, was visiting one of Charlotte Mecklenburg schools and noticed the flag was tattered. He asked about it and the Principal told him there was no money in the budget to replace worn flags.
Jack then contacted President Marilynn Bowler about replacing all the tattered flags within CMS’s 159 school system. The Charlotte Club budgeted $3,000, and Jack contacted every school about their flags. 86 schools responded with their needs and the specific size of their flag. The final cost was $3,800.
As a public relations effort, certificates were made to be framed to be installed in each school’s office. Media outlets were contacted and many different stories and interviews resulted.
The Charlotte Club contacted the other 16 Rotary clubs in the county to see if they would like to participate financially or in delivering the flags or both. 13 clubs agreed, and each delivered about 6 flags
The Charlotte Club continues to get requests and continues to provide flags for any CMS school that needs one. Most recent was new flags for East Mecklenburg High School.