It All Started in Montrose! 

The Congress of the United States, by Joint Resolution on June 9, 1966, approved H.J. Resolution 763 proclaiming the week in which June 14 falls as National Flag Week. The same Resolution requested that the President issue every year a proclamation and also call upon citizens of the United States to display the flag during this week. 

The origin of Flag Week is very special because it originated in Montrose in the ’60s through the hard work of Bill Bailey, Don Carpenter, Congressman H. Allen Smith, the Crescenta Cañada Rotary Club and my father Vito Cannella. Nurtured by their love of country and gratitude for those who served and gave the ultimate sacrifice for our nation’s symbol, the American flag, this group had a desire to contribute something positive to the fabric of our country during the difficult Vietnam War era. They dreamed of a national movement to convince Congress and the President to join them in their love for the flag.

From humble origins and the small town efforts of our community, they collected thousands of signatures across our state. This dream got the attention of the United States Congress and the Resolution was passed in a joint session and signed into law by President Lyndon B. Johnson in 1966.   

So for the last 52 years we’ve asked the citizens of our nation to give recognition and respect for our flag by asking that we honor our flag more than just one day on the national calendar (June 14), but put aside a whole week to honor the flag and ask that all citizens fly our flag for that week.

This cause was very important to my dad. Every year since 1967 he would write each President reminding them of their duty to issue the proclamation; every year he got a response from the White House indicating that they would.

My father has passed and one of the things we talked about prior to his death was his wish that the story of Flag Week not be forgotten as he was the last of the originating supporters. I promised him I would carry his message reminding our community of its history and connection to our hometown. I wrote that letter to President Trump and will remind all of you to fly your flag the week of June 14. That is the purpose of my letter today. 

God Bless America.

Grace Chase

Montrose

Raising Awareness of Beauty Product Testing

Using cruelty-free products has become popular as more people advocate for animal rights. However, many companies are not as transparent and truthful with their policies as they appear to be. Many companies sell their products in China, whose government mandates animal testing for safety by law. This means that these brands still condone animal testing in order to gain a profit with their threshold of consumers in China. Laboratories required for testing are harmful to the environment, the health of the workers and, of course, the animals. Some labs have even begun to create genetically modified animals designed specifically for research. These modified animals can pose a threat to existing populations of animals. Laboratories require a high amount of energy to operate with large machinery required for research, lighting, barrier protection from outside pathogens, and space required for testing animals. Because of this, laboratories emit many greenhouse gases, such as carbon monoxide and sulfur dioxide, which contribute to global climate change. Many hazardous materials are tested on animals and their carcasses can become hazardous waste. Many carcasses from these testings are thrown into landfills, which can pose a threat to human health if said landfills are not lined properly or leak.

A testing series for a single chemical or material can require anywhere from 6,000 to 12,000 animals and can take years to complete. Animal testing has been proven to be extremely detrimental in multiple fields and beauty companies still do testing under the guise of the Chinese government.

If you are an avid user of cruelty-free body care, skin care or makeup products, make sure you are fully aware of the policies of the brands you support.

Hayley Clarke

Montrose