MICHAEL PISTELLA<\/p>\n
A tattered American flag flies in southwest Cape Coral.<\/p>\n
The city of Cape Coral\u2019s effort to raise $500,000 to install the state\u2019s tallest flagpole to celebrate America\u2019s 250th\u00a0birthday next July will begin Thursday.<\/p>\n
Cape Coral City Manager Michael Ilczyszyn announced the kick-off of the city\u2019s Raise the Flag campaign to buy and install a 250-foot flagpole at Wednesday\u2019s Cape Coral City Council meeting.<\/p>\n
\u201cDuring the budget discussion, I had mentioned to you all I had a vision for how we would celebrate the July 4th\u00a0anniversary for next year being the 250th\u00a0anniversary. I initially requested we put additional funding in the budget to go above and beyond what we had planned. That funding was not approved,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n
Council did, however, support the idea of getting the tallest flagpole in the state of Florida.<\/p>\n
\u201cWe are going to be launching that campaign tomorrow,\u201d Ilczyszyn said of Raise the Flag, a project that symbolizes the pride in the national symbol.<\/p>\n
The 250-foot flagpole, for the 250th\u00a0birthday will be funded through donations. He encouraged individuals to take part in this historic effort, just as the founding families did with the existing veteran\u2019s monument on Cape Coral Parkway.<\/p>\n
\u201cNext July 4, I would like to raise the flag in honor of the next 250 years in our nation reminding future generations who we are as a nation and who we are as a community,\u201d Ilczyszyn said.<\/p>\n
There are Raise the Flag donor opportunities ranging from the $10,000 Stars & Stripes Sponsor, $5,000 Old Glory Champion, $2,500 Eagle & Pride Sponsor, $1,000 Liberty Bell Partner, $250 Freedom Coin supporter and any amount community patriot.<\/p>\n
\u201cThere are donor opportunities, donor packages, for anybody that is looking to participate,\u201d he said. \u201cBased on the amount of donation that any individual or business makes, we have various tiers to logo placement.\u201d<\/p>\n
The website,\u00a0www.CapeCoral.gov\/RaiseTheFlag, will launch Thursday, the same day donations will begin to be accepted.<\/p>\n
The money raised will go into a dedicated fund.<\/p>\n
\u201cThe goal is to come together as a community to fund the project. We are hopeful that we can get to our target \u2013 the target remains at $500,000,\u201d Ilczyszyn said, adding that he made his donation of $1,000 Tuesday.<\/p>\n
Verbal quotes they received were less than $400,000 for the flag pole, but the idea is to add lighting, pavers and a memorial plaque, which is an extra cost, unless businesses provide an in-kind donation.<\/p>\n