Luke Landkamer, a senior at Milford High School and Eagle Scout candidate with Milford Boy Scout Troop 290 is raising money to replace the broken, rusty flag pole at the school’s football field.
Luke Landkamer is making Milford look a little more patriotic.
The 17-year-old Milford High senior is asking the community for help funding his Boy Scout Troop 290 Eagle Scout project: replacing the flag pole at the Milford High School football field.
Landkamer said he was at the field selling concessions last summer and noticed that the American flag was flying horizontally because the chain running up the pole had broken.
He used a piece of wire to keep the chain links together as a temporary solution but also noticed rust and a hole at the bottom of the pole.
MHS Buildings and Grounds Supervisor Tim Curtis inspired the idea to replace it, Landkamer said.
“We thought it would be a worthy Eagle Scout project,” Landkamer said.
He met with Curtis and District Superintendent Kevin Wingard, then got permission from his Boy Scout council to move forward with fundraising the $2,500 cost of the project.
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Landkamer said in order to qualify as an Eagle Scout project, an idea must impact the community in some way, be something feasible and have a purpose. The Eagle Scout honor is the highest designation a Boy Scout can earn.
The new aluminum pole will be double the diameter and 10 feet taller than the old one—six inches in diameter and 35 feet tall, from Eder Flag Co. in Wisconsin.
Currently, there’s not a flag on the old pole at all times. The new one will stay up year-round.
“Once it goes up, it’ll be lit from the scoreboard and keep flying high,” Landkamer said.
The concrete base has already been poured. Landkamer said local businesses have contributed to the project by offering their equipment to make the base and drill the hole and by supplying hardware.
All that’s left is raising money for the pole and installing it.
Donations toward the project may be mailed to Milford Public Schools and should be designated for the “Flag Pole Project.” The address is Milford High School, 1200 W. First Street, Milford, NE 68405. Any amount will be accepted.
Landkamer hopes to have the pole in place by the Oct. 5 Homecoming football game.
“I want to have a renewed sense of patriotism at the school, more of a meaning than what’s currently seen,” he said.
