Moapa Valley Progress

Moapa resident Brandon Kellar (left) posts a flag along the main street in Overton on Flag Day last week. Spotting him in the truck is American Legion Post 75 Commander Dennis Vance.

Flag Day was on Thursday, June 14. On that day, local resident’s woke up to find Moapa Valley Blvd. lined with American Flags in celebration of the day. This time of year, especially, it is common to see the main thoroughfare through town decked in red white and blue for the nation’s patriotic holidays. The same scene is also witnessed along State Route 168 in Moapa.

The next day the flags were gone.

‘How and why does this happen?’ some may ask.

The American Legion Family from Diamond Jubilee Post 75 in Logandale are the culprits. If you are an early riser in Overton or Logandale on one of these days you may see a suspicious looking Dodge pick-up truck creeping along on the sidewalk, sometimes going the wrong way.

That truck belongs to Moapa resident Myrtle Keller, a charter member of American Legion Auxiliary Diamond Jubilee Unit 75. It is being driven by the Auxiliary Unit’s past-president Gan Vance.

The young man precariously perched on the side of the truck is Myrtle’s grandson Brandon Kellar. Brandon reaches up and posts a flag onto each of the street poles.

Spotting him, and unfurling the flags, is Post Commander Dennis Vance.

“Having a young tall person to help is a blessing to us vertically-challenged old fellows,” Commander Vance has said. “We need all the help we can get”.

Brandon says he does it “to honor his grandfather”.

His grandfather, Clarence Kellar, was a charter member of the post who passed away last year.

At the same time as all this is going on in the lower valley, you may see a tractor along State Route 168 in Moapa manned by Don Grady of Post 75.

To the members of the American Legion Diamond Jubilee Post 75, who have posted these flags for 15 years now, it is an honor.

“We do it to bring awareness of the patriotism of our community to all that travel these roads,” said Commander Vance.

So if you are an early riser and see a truck meandering down the sidewalk towards you, don’t be alarmed. It’s just the American Legion Family from Diamond Jubilee Post 75 preparing for another patriotic holiday.