Frosting for flags
Bake sale helps to raise money for VFW campaign
HARTINGTON — Bake sales typically aren’t the best way to bring in a large amount of dough.
But a recent fundraiser in Hartington took the cake in a very remarkable way.
“It was such an unbelievable surprise to us. We all looked at each other like you’ve got to be kidding me,” said Chuck Bonertz of the Hartington VFW.
The bake sale fundraiser was spearheaded by Scott McCaw of Hartington who initially read in The Cedar County News about the VFW’s need to raise funds to replace flags that had become tattered beyond repair. He happened to be heading to Verdigre to purchase baked goods from the Amish who reside there. That’s when the idea for the bake sale came about, he said.
When the first week’s bake sale was such a success, two more weeks were scheduled. McCaw and his friends also arranged to raffle a handmade wooden flag designed by Rob van Lieshout.
The group raised nearly $6,000 with all of the proceeds going for the veterans’ flag fund.
“For someone outside the VFW, veterans and members, these people didn’t have to do what they did and they did it out of the goodness of their hearts,” Bonertz said. “I can’t verbally express all of what it means to us.”
He said more than 300 flags are used for the Avenue of Flags at the Cedar County Courthouse and the fund to replace them had depleted to the point of “desperation,” he said.
“Some of them were so tattered and aged, period,” he said. “You can only repair them so much.”
Each flag costs about $75 to replace.
Efforts are ongoing to raise money for the flag fund as there will always be a need to replace flags as they wear out.
Those interested in donating can send funds to P.O. Box 546 in Hartington or put money directly into the flag fund at the Bank of Hartington. VFW leaders can also take donations personally.
For now, McCaw and Bonertz share a mutual appreciation for everyone who helped make the bake sale fundraiser a success.
“I want to thank the whole community, county even, everybody for buying the goods to go to such a good cause,” McCaw said. “The vets more than deserve this.”