'Our spirit shines'

Brandon city flags now available for purchase

 

A new flag will be waving in the breeze throughout Brandon in the near future, thanks to the efforts of many in the community.

The “Our Spirit Shines” flag was the Brandon City Council’s unanimous selection in late May to represent the community as its first official flag, which is currently in production. The Council also adopted a city pledge at that time, too.

Brandon’s official flag, “Our Spirit Shines,” was designed by Ron Peterson of Valley Springs. The flag design encompasses yellow rays of sunshine in a bright blue sky shining across rolling black and red colors that signify pride in the school and community. 

The pledge - “I pledge dedication to the flag and community of Brandon, South Dakota, with love and respect to our citizens, with kindness and dignity to all,” was authored by incoming Brandon Valley fifth-graders, Julia Roy, Tanner Smith and Addison Swenson. 

The city flag design contest was initially orchestrated by Zach DeBoer, a Brandon Valley High School graduate and owner of Exposure Gallery & Studios in Sioux Falls. The project was funded through DeBoer’s residency at Robert Bennis Elementary during the 2016-17 school year and was part of the South Dakota Arts Council’s Artists in Schools & Communities program.

“This is a great thing. We’ve been talking about it for, oh, I can’t remember how many years, and I can’t wait to see the city flag hanging on the pole outside City Hall,” Beesley said.

In late May, the city council, by unanimous vote, approved the official city flag and pledge. The “Our Spirit Shines” flag, which was designed by Peterson, received 34 percent of the 515 votes cast online. Voting took place for the flag design April 12-30, and 39 designs were submitted initially, which was narrowed to eight designs by flag committee members.

“Mr. Peterson gave us a very well-designed, well thought out flag design,” Beesley said. “We received a lot of great entries and it was tough to pick, and there were a lot of great, quality designs.”

Brooks said flag designs came from a variety of sources, including local third- and fourth-grade elementary school students and from the public. The number of design entrees, Brooks said, surprised him.

“We were hoping for 30 or 40, maybe 50 would be nice, and we received 39 designs, he said.

Sioux Falls-based Maximum Promotions is producing the city flags, Brooks said, and they will be available for purchase at City Hall. Orders are currently being accepted at City Hall for the initial flag (3-foot by 5-foot) order. One hundred-fifty flags will be available for purchase, Brooks said, or they may be ordered directly from Maximum Promotions.

“We can put it (the design) on flags, shirts, hats, whatever,” Brooks said. Lapel pins and garden flags are other options, he noted. “They can put it on about anything.”

The flags will cost approximately $30.

“It won’t be priced any crazier than an American flag,” he added.

While flag orders can be placed now, Brooks said the flags won’t be available for approximately a month.

Brooks, himself, will be purchasing a larger 4-foot by 8-foot flag.

To learn more about Brandon’s official city flag, contact Brooks at 366-5534.