• January 19, 2014: Students to paint historic Little Rock ballroom on MLK National Day of Service
• January 20, 2014: CNN: Raising the standard: Fascinating flags and the stories behind them
• January 21, 2014: Mosaic Templars MLK Day Challenge a Huge Success at Dreamland Ballroom
• January 28, 2014: Biz Owner Talks Success of LR Entrepreneur Class
• January 28. 2014: Made in USA flag provision passes!
• March 12, 2014: New Zealand to hold referendum on new,post-colonial‚ flag
• March 24, 2014: Citations for Flying Flags
• March 31, 2014: Using Flags to Focus on Veteran Suicides
• April 21, 2014: Counterfeit American Flags Made In China Seized In Huntington Park Raid
• April 25, 2014: Riding for a Cause: FlagandBanner.com supports cross country bike tour for vets
• April 26, 2014: Hurricane Flags and Severe Weather Safety
• April 28. 2014: Ways to help Arkansas Tornado Victims
• May 1, 2014: FlagandBanner.com sponsors Pops on the River 
• May 5, 2014: FlagandBanner.com donates to fundraiser: Eagles vs. Eagles Tornado Fund
• June 2, 2014: Egypt makes it a crime to dishonor their flag
• June 2, 2014: AFB Poetry Reading! 
• July 30, 2014: Know your flag terms? 
• November 10, 2014: Arkansas FlagandBanner.com to Wind up Week-Long Veterans Celebration with Book Signing 

   

   

Students to paint historic Little Rock ballroom on MLK National Day of Service

Posted on: January 19, 2014

"Little Rock, Ark, - Arkansas‚ FlagandBanner.com and the Dreamland Ballroom will be hosting students on Martin Luther King Junior National Day of Service Monday, January 20, 2014 between the hours of 10 am ‚ 12 pm. The group of students were organized by the Mosaic Templars Cultural Center (just down the street from Taborian Hall). The students will be repainting the floor of the historic Taborian Hall‚s Dreamland Ballroom as part of the MLK Challenge, a program designed by the Mosiac Templars Cultural Center to engage youth in the role of servant leadership with a full day of service projects that challenge them mentally and socially. Participants will work at sites across the city. "We are very glad to be a part of this great youth educational and service opportunity," said Kerry McCoy, owner of Taborian Hall and president of Arkansas' FlagandBanner.com. "We are very proud that our Taborian Hall is the "sister" building to the Mosaic Templars and thrilled to be a part of the MLK Challenge," McCoy continued. Press and photographers are welcome to commemorate this community service event. Taborian Hall is on the National Register of Historic Places with the Department of the Interior and the Arkansas Historic Preservation Society. Arkansas‚ FlagandBanner.com headquarters and storefront resides in the same building as the historic Dreamland Ballroom that once showcased legendary musicians of the 1930‚s. Just a few of the names that graced the Ballroom stage were Ray Charles, Louis Armstrong, B.B. King, Duke Ellington, Ella Fitzgerald, Etta James, Nat King Cole and Louis Jordan. Kerry McCoy, purchased Taborian Hall as a new home for her business, Arkansas Flag and Banner in 1991. The building had no roof when McCoy purchased it but through her efforts, the building has been preserved. She continues through the help of the non-profit group The Friends of Dreamland Ballroom to renovate the legendary ballroom and building, in an effort to save and to share this magnificent auditorium with the community. Arkansas‚s FlagandBanner.com welcomes the public to browse the first floor factory showroom, filled with all things patriotic and flying the red, white and blue‚¦a fitting enterprise for a building with such a proud heritage as hosting the USO for African American soldiers during World War II.

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CNN: Raising the standard: Fascinating flags and the stories behind them

Posted on: January 20, 2014

This is a great story from CNN about flags. Let us know what you think!

(CNN) -- Funny things flags. Essentially they're just pieces of colored cloth, but run any of them up a pole and they become powerful talismans capable of making people behave in peculiar ways. The stories behind national pennants can be inspiring, intriguing and often give an insight into the culture and history of the country. We're all about raising standards and we think some of the tales behind these patriotic pennants are worth saluting. What flags do you love and why? Leave a comment. Canada Say what you like about over-polite Canadians, at least they've managed to ditch the Union flag of their former British overlords. Canadian leaders debated furiously before finally adopting the resplendent red maple leaf in 1965, an ensign pointedly free of colonial images. Good thing they did, because it gives Americans and Brits a useful flag to slap on their backpacks to stop people hating them. One original proposal, rejected by parliament, featured blue stripes and a‚ maple trefoil that almost completely failed to resemble a cannabis leaf. What to say: "The Canadian flag has saved my bacon a few times." Flag it up:‚ Brockville is birthplace of the flag. Main attraction? Possibly the U.S. border 15 miles away. Nepal Square flags are for squares. As the only country with an ensign that doesn't have four 90-degree corners, Nepal is in a league of its own. Its double triangle design symbolizes the mighty peaks of the Himalayas where foreign mountaineers have planted so many other national flags. The sun and moon symbols represent calmness and resolve -- character traits needed to tolerate the Everest-sized egos of those flag-planting foreign mountaineers. What to say: "Nepal's 1962 design marked a new a pinnacle for world flags." Flag it up: You can plan a flag-planting exercise of your own via‚ Nepal's trekking agencies. Greece

A flag that complements its environs.

Few flags evoke the nation they represent as well as Greece's. The blue stripes conjure the cobalt summer skies and azure seas that annually lure millions of vacationers; the white recalls spotless coastal buildings dotting its beautiful coastline. The nine stripes are said to represent ancient muses or possibly the number of syllables in the battle cry "eleftheria i thanatos," meaning "freedom or death," used in wars against the Ottomans. What to say: "Tentative signs of a recent economic recovery are a good excuse to wave the flag." Flag it up: On the gorgeous‚ Cyclades islands the buildings wear the national colors with pride. Bhutan At first glance, Bhutan's flag appears to bear the image of a dragon on wheels. The reality isn't much less exciting. The beast in question is Druk, a thunder dragon of Bhutanese Buddhist mythology. Rather than riding on castors, he is in fact clutching a spherical jewel in each claw. As flag stories go, this one isn't bad either. The dragon is said to symbolize the origins of religious teachings on which Bhutan was founded. Drukpa Buddhism was so named by its 12th-century founder, Tsangpa Gyare Yeshey Dorji, because he heard the thunderous sounds of dragons while hunting for a monastery site in Tibet. What to say: "Vacations are never a drag-on this side of the Himalayas." Flag it up: It'll cost you a dragon's hoard of silver to travel there, but this‚ isolated kingdom is worth it.

United States Poor Old Glory. Those starry spangles and candy stripes have become a teensy bit overexposed thanks to recent American ventures in overseas troublespots. This is a shame as the modern incarnation of Betsy Ross's purported creation is an oft-imitated design of which Americans are rightly proud. So proud in fact, it's one of the only flags to have a National Anthem ("The Star-spangled Banner") written specifically about it. What to say: Oh long may it wave. Flag it up: Don't get into a flap about whether she designed it or not, just visit‚ Betsy Ross's home in Philadelphia. Brazil Given Brazil's skills on the pitch, you'd be forgiven for thinking its flag symbolizes a blue soccer ball being booted into space from a grassy stadium. It doesn't. Less excitingly, the green harks back to Portuguese colonial-era royalty, while the slice of night sky represents, even more prosaically, federal regions. It's still a much-loved design, even among non-Brazilians. What to say: "Brazil's success in securing the upcoming soccer World Cup and Olympics justify the flag's 'ordem e progresso' (order and progress) slogan." Flag it up: You can take your own flag to Brazil for next year'ssoccer World Cup Finals. MORE: 8 great Brazil beaches Indonesia The simplicity of the Indonesian flag belies an interesting tale (if true). The story goes that as they were shaking off the shackles of Dutch colonial invaders, Indonesian freedom fighters created their flag by tearing the blue strip off a Dutch tricolor. Another version claims the flag's colors are derived from those representing the archipelago's 14th century Majapahit Empire. Either way, it excuses the fact it resembles an upside-down Polish flag. What to say: "Indonesians know how to tear a strip off oppressors." Flag it up: Surabaya's‚ luxury Hotel Majapahit is supposedly the scene of the flag-tearing incident. MORE: 40 essential Indonesian dishes Mozambique

With a book, a hoe and a gun, Mozambique's flag covers a lot of bases.

Mozambique's flag features a gun! Yes, there's a book, symbolizing education, and, yes, there's a hoe symbolizing agriculture. But there's also an AK-47 assault rifle symbolizing the country's bloody struggle for independence. The only national flag bearing a firearm, it's the subject of intense debate in the now largely peaceful country. Many there feel it's time to ditch the weapon. What to say: "The economy is booming, not the guns." Flag it up: Mozambique's flag carrying LAM Airlines is‚ banned in the EU. MORE: How Mozambique became a tourist hot spot Panama Given that it's so widely displayed on ships using the country's emblem as a flag of convenience, it's fascinating to see what they almost used. This rather alarming‚ alternative version, designed by Frenchman Philippe-Jean Bunau-Varilla, is meant to resemble the country's famous canal. Thankfully, then-president Manuel Amador Guerrero rejected it and hired his son to produce the current ensign, adopted in 1925. The colors represent the country's main political parties. What to say: "The alternative flag would have been a danger to shipping." Flag it up: You can board the Panama-registered‚ Carnival Breezefor a quiet cruise -- just you and 3,689 other passengers. MORE: Live large, pay small in Panama City Greenland Granted home rule from Denmark in 1978, Greenlanders decided they needed something new to fly above their frosty territories. The result, adopted in 1985, is both an exercise in classically minimalist Scandinavian design, and a bold departure from other flags favored by Nordic nations. Many in Greenland had hoped to emulate Denmark and its neighbors by using a Christian cross -- preferably white on green -- but from 555 submitted designs, a committee instead chose a red and white split circle on a contrasting background. The symbolism isn't too hard to read: a red sun sinking down into snow and ice. What to say: "Let's hope global warming doesn't necessitate a redesign." Flag it up: You can witness Greenland's‚ fantastic sunsets for yourself. MORE: World's 10 toughest endurance challenges United Kingdom

Flag becomes fashion.

The UK's Union Flag has long lived a double life, serving both as national emblem and an erstwhile fashion icon -- although its associations with the Swinging Sixties are these days just as likely to bring to mind Austin Powers' underwear. The flag itself is an exercise in nation building, originally combining the blue and white saltire of Scotland's patron Saint Andrew and the red cross on white of England's Saint George when the two countries united in the 18th century. The red diagonal cross of Ireland's Saint Patrick was added later. Of course, all this could change again if Scottish people vote for independence in a referendum scheduled for 2014. In which case, perhaps Wales might finally get a mention. What to say: "Groovy, baby!" Flag it up: The Union flags may not be so prominent these days, but London's‚ Carnaby Street is still a swinging center for fashion. Learn more at CNN http://www.cnn.com/2014/01/15/travel/national-flags/index.html?hpt=hp_c4 Which flag do you think has the best design? The most boring? Share your opinion in the comments.

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Mosaic Templars MLK Day Challenge a Huge Success at Dreamland Ballroom

Posted on: January 21, 2014

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Biz Owner Talks Success of LR Entrepreneur Class

Posted on: January 28, 2014

Arkansas Flag and Banner

LITTLE ROCK, AR -- The city of Little Rock will offer a course for current and future business owners, and one graduate spoke to us about its success.

Kerry McCoy has owned Arkansas Flag and Banner since 1975. "I started with $400," McCoy said. After a few years, she wanted to expand, but had some problems. "I wasn't sure how to get a construction loan or how to put together a business plan to that magnitude," McCoy said. So she took the entrepreneurial training course offered by the city of Little Rock. "When you are a young entrepreneur, you just need some simple questions answered," McCoy said. Kerry says the class helped her open a renovated building and that's why she pushes any new entrepreneur to take the class. The spokesperson for the program says students can learn a lot in the 10-week course. "It's really a way for the city of Little Rock to give back to people who are investing back into their business," said Chauncey Holloman, spokesperson for the Little Rock Small Business Development Office. The city says space is very limited for the class that begins Feb. 3. Enrollment closes at 5 p.m. this Friday. Holloman says the Entrepreneurial Training Course is conducted by the University of Arkansas at Little Rock Small Business and Technology Development Center. The course covers a wide range of topics for business owners, like business concepts, feasibility, market analysis, pricing and cash flow, among many others. Each participant receives assistance with creating a realistic business plan and will graduate with a completed plan to implement their own business idea. Classes are held Monday evenings from 6 p.m. until 9 p.m. at the Willie Hinton Neighborhood Resource Center on 12th Street. Tuition cost for the course taught by UALR instructors and successful entrepreneurs is $100.00 for Little Rock residents and includes all classes, a textbook and business plan assistance.

For more information, contact Holloman at cholloman@littlerock.org or 501-379-1505.

Visit http://www.arkansasmatters.com/story/biz-owner-talks-success-of-lr-entrepreneur-class/d/story/nSyUKDdYO0qLuNX1fvszgg for more information

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Made in USA flag provision passes!

Posted on: January 28, 2014

The group we are members of, the National Independent Flag Distributors Association has been lobbying for this provision to be passed for many years now. We were so happy to see this news: WASHINGTON, D.C. -- Congressman Mike Thompson's (D-St. Helena) bipartisan provision requiring every American flag purchased by the Department of Defense (DOD) to be 100-percent manufactured in the United States, from articles, materials, or supplies that are 100-percent of grown, produced or manufactured in the United States, was passed by the House of Representatives and Senate, and will be signed into law. "This provision will make sure every American Flag DOD buys is made in America, by American workers with American products," Thompson said. "I am proud to have worked to pass this law so that our men and women in uniform never have to fight under a U.S. flag made overseas, and so that our Defense Department never again spends American tax dollars on a U.S. flag made overseas."

All of FlagandBanner.com's American flags are made in USA!

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New Zealand to hold referendum on new,post-colonial‚ flag

Posted on: March 12, 2014

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Citations for Flying Flags

Posted on: March 24, 2014

"MCDONOUGH, Ga. - Last November, a McDonough business owner may just be vindicated after city officials fined him for flying patriotic flags above his restaurant.

A McDonough business owner tells FOX 5 he was just trying to show his patriotic spirit and give thanks to the military, but the city told him to take his flags down. A code enforcement officer cited CJ's Hot Dogs on Friday, but Saturday, McDonough City Administrator Frederick Gardiner told him that city law is not clear in the matter.

Hot dogs are on the menu at CJ's, but the restaurant has an appetite for service. Darren Miller says the whole place is dedicated to police, fire and military‚ and it's in his blood. His father is a Vietnam veteran, and he's a retired DeKalb County fireman.

The walls of CJ's Hot Dogs are covered with patches from men and women who also served. Miller believes it's his right to salute them both inside and outside his restaurant.‚  Three months ago, he put up flags for country, state and every branch of the military.‚  But on Friday, the city of McDonough sent him a citation that said the flags have to come down.

"I'm just floored," said Miller. "And I called the guy and asked what they're for. And he said I'm in violation with my flags flying above my restaurant."

It didn't take long for outraged veterans to spread the word. Some called the citation sad, while others were outright angry.

The city administrator, who didn't realize code enforcement officers cited the restaurant until Shaw told him on Friday, told Miller that the ordinance that classifies the flags as signs is too vague and needs to be rewritten. For that reason, he says he's asking that the citation be thrown out.

It's a victory for Miller, the veterans, and what the flags stand for.

"I've had enough of it," said Miller. "I'm tired of being pushed around for supporting our local men and women and I'm not going to be pushed around anymore."

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Using Flags to Focus on Veteran Suicides

Posted on: March 31, 2014

From the New York Times:

WASHINGTON - Volunteers in dark green hooded sweatshirts spread out across the National Mall on Thursday, planting 1,892 small American flags in the grass between the Washington Monument and the Capitol. Each flag represented a veteran who had committed suicide since Jan. 1, a figure that amounts to 22 deaths each day.

Civilians stood among the waving flags in solidarity with veterans like Michael Blazer, a former sergeant in the Army who had a friend commit suicide when he got back from Afghanistan.

"He shot himself in the same room as me and a friend of mine," Mr. Blazer said. I've been diagnosed with PTSD because of that, so a lot of these issues are what I've personally been dealing with. But above and beyond, I'm out here in memory of him.

The event was part of an awareness campaign mounted by members of Iraq and Afghanistan Veterans of America, an advocacy group focused on issues affecting the nation‚s newest veterans. They are in Washington this week as part of their leadership development program, Storm the Hill, and to support the introduction of legislation aimed at preventing suicides and providing more mental health resources for service member’s home from combat.

Event organizers said that the issues were a top priority for veterans and their families, and that they wanted to make them a priority for Congress, too.

Senator John Walsh, Democrat of Montana and the first Iraq war veteran to serve in the Senate, introduced the Suicide Prevention for America‚s Veterans Act on Thursday. For Mr. Walsh, the issue is personal: A sergeant who served under him when he commanded an infantry battalion in Iraq in 2004 and 2005 committed suicide after returning home.

We‚ve waited too long to take on this action," he said. Then, mentioning the 22 veterans who take their lives every day, he added, That‚s an epidemic that we cannot allow to continue.

When service members leave the military, they can get five years of no-questions-asked care from Department of Veterans Affairs' hospitals and facilities. One of the bill‚s main goals is to extend that window to 15 years.

For instance, in Vietnam, a lot of symptoms of post-traumatic stress disorder didn't show up anywhere until between seven and 12 years later," said Kate O'Gorman, the political director at the veterans‚ advocacy group. We really want to make sure that care is available when someone is ready to seek it.

The bill also calls for the military to set up a review process for troops who are discharged for behavior that could have been caused by mental health issues. Measures to help the Veterans Affairs agency recruit more psychiatrists are also included.

It establishes student loan repayment for psychiatrists," Ms. O'Gorman said. When the private sector and even the Department of Defense are able to offer good student loan repayment programs and the V.A. is not, that can make it difficult for them to recruit.

The striking display of red, white and blue caught the eye of almost everyone leaving a Metro station on the Mall on Thursday. One man wearing a hat with "Vietnam Veteran," stitched on the front took pictures. Others stopped to ask what was going on.

Roger Engetschwiler and his daughter, Katja, were visiting from Switzerland. They were headed to the Holocaust Memorial Museum and then the Lincoln Memorial when they paused to find out about the flags.

“We knew the subject when they told us that there‚s a lot of suicide going on with veterans,” he said. But I didn’t know the numbers were that high. That’s really scary.

A version of this article appears in print on March 28, 2014, on page A18 of the‚ New York edition‚ with the headline: Using Flags to Focus on Veteran Suicides.

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 Counterfeit American Flags Made In China Seized In Huntington Park Raid

Posted on: April 21, 2014

HUNTINGTON PARK (CBSLA.com) - A 27-year-old Los Angeles man was arrested Thursday for allegedly attempting to sell counterfeit U.S. flags, police said.

Investigators recovered 27 pallets of fake American flags during Operation Bogus Stars & Stripes‚ at approximately 9:30 a.m. in the 2000 block of Belgrave Avenue, according to Huntington Park Police Lt. Neal Mongan.

The raid was launched following tips from representatives of the New Jersey-based Annin Flagmakers, who contacted police after learning that someone in Huntington Park was attempting to sell counterfeit product as authentic Annin flags, Mongan said.

Undercover investigators posing as buyers met with the suspect and negotiated a deal to buy the flags ‚ which were being represented as authentic American flags manufactured by Annin ‚ as part of the operation, according to Mongan.

Investigators said the flags had fraudulent markings for the real flag manufacturer and later determined the counterfeit flags were manufactured in China and not by Annin.

The estimated value of the flags was $340,000 if they had been sold to unsuspecting consumers as authentic flags by the manufacturer or their licensed distributors, Mongan said.

The suspect was booked at the Huntington Park Police Department on charges of possessing counterfeit trademarked products for sale.

No immediate court date was announced.

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Riding for a Cause: FlagandBanner.com supports cross country bike tour for vets

Posted on: April 25, 2014

Arkansas‚ FlagandBanner.com teams up with "You Matter Bike Tour"  a cross country bicycle tour that leaves from Long Beach, NY and ends at Long Beach, CA to support the nation‚s veterans with traumatic brain injuries and PTSD (Post Traumatic Stress Disorder).

Ken Carr, one of the organizers and cyclists who suffered a traumatic brain injury during his military service said, We are riding to raise awareness of veterans suffering with the invisible wounds of war and to raise as much money as possible to help build nine state-of-the-art special treatment centers for veterans suffering with TBI‚s [Traumatic Brain Injuries] and PTSD.

The group has partnered with the Intrepid Fallen Heroes Fund to insure that 100% of all the funds raised will go directly toward the design and construction of the facilities. .

Kerry McCoy, owner of FlagandBanner.com said, We are proud to be a sponsor of such a worthwhile cause - helping our brave men and women in uniform who sacrifice so much for our nation. We are looking forward to following along the riders‚ 5,000 mile trek and we will be posting updates on our Facebook to let our customers easily follow along as well.

Arkansas‚ Flag and Banner started in 1975 as a one woman door-to-door business selling the most patriotic of America‚s symbols ‚ the red, white and blue U.S. flag. During the past 39 years Arkansas‚ Flag and Banner grew from that one woman show to a multi-million dollar distributor, retailer, and manufacturer. In 1995 they became an internet retailer. In 2000 the company officially began marketing as simply FlagandBanner.com.

The You Matter riders will leave Long Beach, NY on April 22, 2014 and will be traveling roughly 75 miles per day until they reach their destination. The ride will pass through towns of all sizes all across America and stop to admire and visit with people at the U.S.S. Intrepid Museum, the Liberty Bell, various Veterans‚ hospitals in Kentucky and other states, Fisherman‚s Wharf in San Francisco and finally arrive in Long Beach, CA at the Queen Mary on July 4th.

Arkansas‚ FlagandBanner.com provided the bike tour with bicycle flagpoles and hardware and miniature flags to hand out to children and others on stops along the way. Carr approached FlagandBanner.com’s marketing department with a request for bicycle flagpoles on April 9, 2014 “Because, You were the only place we found that still carries bike poles! - FlagandBanner.com is one of the few flag dealers in the nation to still carry bicycle flagpoles and the company as a whole was glad to provide them to Carr’s group. It is a pleasure to work with groups such as the You Matter Bike Tour group. We are glad that our product was something they could certainly use for this event. Ken worked with our marketing department and the poles were shipped out just 3 business days after his initial call for our help.” FlagandBanner.com owner Kerry McCoy stated.

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Hurricane Flags and Severe Weather Safety

Posted on: April 26, 2014

Little Rock, Ark., -- Flag and Banner.com, a leading retail supplier of American flags and patriotic items, recently announced that hurricane flags are making a comeback after nearly two decades on the sidelines.

Kerry McCoy, owner of Flag and Banner, said that What may seem like a step back in technology is really just one more way to protect the public. After the Katrina disaster and after Sandy last October, we all want to feel safer and to have all possible warning tools available.

During the past thirty-nine years. McCoy said, the length of time that I have been in the flag business, I have seen occasional purchases of U.S. Storm Signal flags, consisting of one or both of the red Gale Storm Pennant and the red and black squared Hurricane Storm Flag. But ever since Katrina, they are making a huge comeback because they really are needed.

In 1989, after 100 years of use, the Coast Guard found Storm Signal flags to be an inferior warning device compared to other technological devices such as television and radio. But today, with more storms and with what seem to be increasingly stronger storms, the Coast Guard is trying everything they can to protect coastal resident and visitors, and that includes bringing back the Hurricane flag.

“While the flag’s reach is limited, when storms approach the surge is sometimes so powerful other means of communication can be lost. So I believe we can expect to see more of the red and black squared flags flying along the coast for residents, boaters and tourists to observe,” McCoy said.

If you live in or plan to visit a coastal area during hurricane season which is June 1^st and ends November 30th you may want to not only watch for these red and black warning flags but also prepare a basic emergency supply kit. An emergency supply kit infographic is available for download at www.flagandbanner.com.

The National Weather Service recommends the following:

• 1 gallon of water per person per day for at least 3 days
• Food, at least a 3 day supply of non-perishable food
• Battery or hand crank radio (A NOAA Weather Radio with tone alert and extra batteries for both is also recommended)
• Flashlight and extra batteries
• First aid kit
• Whistle to signal for help
• Dust mask, plastic sheeting and duct tape to shelter-in-place if necessary
• Moist towelettes, garbage bags, plastic ties and hand sanitizer
• Manual can opener
• Wrench or plies to turn off utilities

The NWS ‚ also advise that if you take prescription medication, have an infant child or pets, that you should not forget to add their needs to the emergency kit. Include extra water for your pet along with their food and don‚t forget diapers and wipes for your infant. You may also want to include a favorite toy or two for children.

Another handy tip is to include a set of gallon size zip top plastic bags to store your important documents, such as insurance policies and bank account records, or even your wallet with cash.

While you may not live comfortably in the aftermath of a hurricane or other weather spawned by the storm such as tornadoes, high winds and flooding, an emergency kit can make life a little easier to bear during that time.

For more information about hurricane flags or other nautical signal flags contact one of the friendly Flag Experts at FlagandBanner.com by calling toll free 800.445.0653.

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Ways to help Arkansas Tornado Victims

Posted on: April 28. 2014

Sunday, April 27, 2014 all of us in Arkansas were glued to weather radios, TV and the internet tracking heavy storms with potential for tornadoes. Unfortunately the potential became reality. A single twister cut a nearly mile wide swath across central Arkansas. The tornado appears to have started in Pulaski county, just west of Little Rock and ripped through homes and businesses from Little Rock, Maumelle,  Mayflower, Vilonia, Saltillo, El Paso and a number of other towns and  rural communities.

We at Arkansas' FlagandBanner.com have experienced years of these  sort of storms but this one was beyond anything we had ever witnessed.  Just one single tornado causing this much damage and being on the ground as long as it was. It was devastating to watch. Many of our friends and neighbors lost homes, businesses and loved ones to this deadly storm.

In an effort to help we have compiled a list of places to donate.

The Salvation Army

Give online at https://donate.salvationarmyusa.org/uss/arkansastornados or by calling 1-800-SAL-ARMY (1-800-725-2769).

You can also text the word "STORM" to 80888 to make a $10 donation  through your mobile phone; to confirm your gift, respond with the word  "Yes."*

Donations in the form of checks designated to Arkansas Tornado Relief may also be mailed to:

The Salvation Army
PO Box 738
North Little Rock, AR 72115-0738

The following churches/businesses are accepting donations and recruiting volunteers to help victims:

Apostolic Church in North Little Rock
Accepting donations beginning at 9 a.m. 4/28/14
Donations of tarps, flashlights, batteries, hand sanitizer,  non-perishable food items, gloves, toiletries, chainsaws, blankets,  bottled water, etc.
Location: 4315 Landers Rd. in North Little Rock

Benton Transmission Automotive & Tire:
992 Hwy 5 North in Benton
 Better Business Bureau in Little Rock:
Accepting donations of non-perishable foods, water, tooth brushes,  toothpaste, toilet paper, diapers, baby wipes, deodorant, etc.
Location: 12521 Kanis Road 501-664-7274

 Boys and Girls Club of Bryant:
Collecting donations of non-perishables, water, clothing.
Drop off between 9 a.m. and 6 p.m.
Located at: 6401 Boone Road in Bryant.

Central Church of Christ in Little Rock:
Accepting tarps, bottled water, work gloves, flashlights, hand sanitizer, other basics.
Toiletries, diapers accepted as well.
Beginning at noon 4/28
Location: 823 W. 6th Street Little Rock (501) 374-2039

 Christ United Methodist Church in Cabot:
Accepting donations and other items
Location: 15361 Highway 5
Call (501) 843-2302 for a full list of items they are collecting

 Courtyard Little Rock North in NLR:
They are accepting any and all donations at their location.
Location: 4339 Warden Road

 Gracepoint Church in Conway:
They have a trailer to collect water, snacks, gloves, blankets, etc.
Location: 1070 Markham Street

 Haskell City Hall in Haskell:
Celebration Baptist Church is collecting supplies for tornado victims and workers.
Flashlights, batteries, gloves, non-perishable foods, baby items, paper goods, and water.
Dropped off at Haskell City Hall at 2520 Arkansas Hwy. 229

 Holiday Inn Express in Maumelle:
Accepting non-perishable items for storm victims
Location: 200 Holiday Drive in Maumelle (at the Morgan/Maumelle Exit)

 Holiday Inn & Suites in Morrilton:
Accepting non-perishable items, baby wipes, paper towels, etc. No clothing.
Location: 8 Bruce Street (501) 215-5925
Manager Cindy Roberson

Kroger/JCPenney parking lot in Batesville:
They are accepting monetary donations to buy items inside Kroger.
They are collecting items like bottled water, canned food, blankets, formula, diapers, toothbrushes, toothpaste, etc.

Marco's Pizza central Arkansas locations accepting donations

• Marco's Pizza in Conway 2501 Dave Ward Dr Conway, Arkansas 72034
• Marco's Pizza of Cabot 2080 W Main St Cabot, Arkansas 72023
• Marco's Pizza of Little Rock 11601 N Rodney Parham Rd Little Rock, Arkansas 72212
• Marco's of North Little Rock 5007 JFK Blvd North Little Rock, Arkansas 72116
• Marco's Pizza of Sherwood/Gravel Ridge 14718 Highway 107 Sherwood, Arkansas 72120

Mayflower Middle/High Schools in Mayflower:
The shelter at Mayflower Schools is in need of blankets, cots, pillows  and snacks. John Pipkins or Doug Jones will accept donations there.

 Newport Junior High School:
Accepting donations of canned goods, non-perishable food items, and bottled water for the victims in Mayflower and Vilonia.
Weekly trips will be delivered to areas in need. Donations will be  accepted at the junior high office during schools hours, 7:45-3:30.
Location: 406 Wilkerson Dr, Newport, AR

 St. Andrew UMC in Little Rock:
Accepting donations
Working with UMCOR The United Methodist Disaster Relief
Location: 4600 Baseline Road (501) 562-1891

 Sylvan Hills Sherwood Optimist Club:
Accepting donations for Mayflower and Vilonia
Call 501-835-5583 for details

 White Treasure Chest Flea Market in Cabot:
Accepting donations (clothes, food, etc) for victims
Drop off at location 9 a.m. - 6 p.m. (Mon-Sat) 1 p.m. - 6 p.m. (Sun)
Location: 3632 Highway 367 South in Cabot

 American Red Cross Operated Shelters
St. Joseph‚s Catholic Church
1115 College Avenue, Conway, AR

 Beryl Baptist Church
873 Main Street, Vilonia, AR

Antioch Baptist Church
150 Amity Road, Conway, AR

 Oak Bowery Baptist Church
889 Otto Road, Conway, AR

 Point of Grace
1070 Markham St, Conway

 Mayflower Middle School
10 Leslie King Dr., Mayflower AR

To help with the free disaster relief provided by the Red Cross, please call 1-800-REDCROSS; make an online donation at http://redcross.or or text REDCROSS to 90999.

Grace Point Church (next to Larry's Pizza)
Location: 1070 Markham, Conway
(501) 470-9811

 Crossroads Cowboy Church In El Paso, AR
contact Monty Holmes (501) 951-5113

 Bad Boy Mowers on Main Street in Batesville, in front of Kroger
Alyssa Lancaster at (870)805-0798
Also, taking monetary donations and we will go buy items to send.

 Chenal Ten Storage
24300 Chenal Parkway
(501)868-1188 Tammy Johnston

 Lisa Academy in Little Rock
(501)227-4942

 The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints
13901 Quail Run Dr., Little Rock.
(501) 993-1764
Donation times will be Tuesday, April 29th through Friday May, 2nd at  noon to 2 p.m. and 6 p.m. to 8 p.m. for The Church of Jesus Christ of  Latter-Day Saints.

If we hear of more we will post them to this page.

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FlagandBanner.com sponsors Pops on the River 

Posted on: May 1, 2014

FlagandBanner.com will be one of the sponsors this year at Arkansas' Pops on the River. The event is presented by the Arkansas Democrat-Gazette and will take place Friday, July 4, in downtown Little Rock. In it's 31st year, the annual event has expanded to include more activities, additional hours, a bigger fireworks show and a larger event site. This free community event is the largest Fourth of the July event in the state as more than 30,000 are drawn downtown to the events surrounding Pops on the River.

Pops has continued to grow these last three decades in no small part because it has held true to its roots and continues to focus on a family-friendly environment complete with fantastic food, fireworks, Salute to the Troops focus, and music by the Arkansas Symphony Orchestra. It is a heralded community event that many remember for years to come.

The Arkansas Symphony Orchestra will perform patriotic music, plus there will be a "Oh say can you sing?" contest for people to show off their vocal talents with their renditions of "The Star Spangled Banner."

The children's pavilion will be where kids can pick up 4"x6" American stick flags (always made in USA!) to cheer with.

All attendants in the first few rows will also receive these flags to wave during the show. Arkansas' FlagandBanner.com will provide them for the event free of charge.

Military members be sure to pick up your discount cards, you will receive discounts from many area retailers including a 25% discount at FlagandBanner.com good for any in stock purchase. This is 10% more than our everyday military discount of 15%.

Pops on the River has become an Arkansas tradition for the July 4th holiday and this year is particularly special because it marks the 200th anniversary of the Star Spangled Banner and it falls on a Friday night, so families can stay out late, enjoy an evening on the river and great music too without worrying about getting up early for work the next day!

Pops on the River will begin at noon in the River Market area of downtown Little Rock with free activities for kids in the Kid‚s Pavilion, a classic car show, a marketplace for shopping, food trucks and entertainment for all ages.

New this year is our Military Appreciation Program where all military (active or retired) can receive special discounts and promotions at the event and after the event. Check in at the main gate once you arrive.

Entertainment inside the Riverfest Amphitheater will include Air National Guard Band of the Southwest, Oh Say! Can you Sing? contest, live music and the Arkansas Symphony Orchestra. Music Director Philip Man will conduct this year‚s performance. Fireworks will begin at approximately 9:30 p.m. and are shot off the Main Street Bridge.

The event is free to the public and a portion of the proceeds benefit a local charity. This year’s benefiting charity is Our House Children’s Programs.

Arkansas' FlagandBanner.com is proud to be a sponsor of this great Arkansas patriotic tradition and we hope to see you there!

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FlagandBanner.com donates to fundraiser: Eagles vs. Eagles Tornado Fund

Posted on May 5, 2014

Sunday, April 27, 2014 has become a date that many in the state of Arkansas will remember for years to come. That was the day severe thunderstorms spawned a massive F4 tornado. This tornado spent nearly an hour on the ground - traveling more than 40 miles - eating up trees, snapping power lines and wiping homes and businesses from their foundations. The national news has made these small towns in Arkansas household names. The official death toll is 15, most in the towns of Mayflower and Vilonia.

The two towns are high school sports rivals with the same mascot, the Eagles. On Tuesday, May 6, 2014, Mayflower and Vilonia High School baseball teams will play a fundraising game at Dickey-Stephens Park in Little Rock, AR. Dickey-Stephens is home to the Arkansas Travelers minor league baseball team (a Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim Class AA affiliate).

The game Tuesday evening, is free and open to the public, but donations will be collected by both team‚s cheerleading squads and all proceeds from concession stand sales will go to those affected in the two towns. Gates open at 4:30 p.m. The first 1,000 to enter the gates will receive a free American flag to wave during the National Anthem and throughout the game from sponsor FlagandBanner.com.

Mayors from both towns will be in attendance to throw out the ceremonial first pit at 5:30 p.m. and will lead a moment of silence for those killed in the disaster. Arkansas Governor Mike Beebe has confirmed to be at the game and it is rumored that former President Bill Clinton will also attend.

I am so proud of the product I sell, the American flag. Since its inception, the flag has been a source of comfort for so many. You see it flown at almost all natural and man-made disasters. Just after the tornadoes hit in Mayflower and Vilonia newspaper photos and news footage began to show our flag being flown proudly as if to say, Despite our differences we are all American‚s and nothing will break our spirit. Kerry McCoy owner of Arkansas‚ FlagandBanner.com stated. Seeing men and women, volunteers and victims hoist the flag in solidarity brings tears to my eyes, even after 39 years of selling the U.S. flag. It is so much more than just a product; it is our past, our present and our future.

Arkansas‚ FlagandBanner.com is proud to be a sponsor of this fundraiser and hopes that all affected by this horrible storm will benefit from the fundraising event.

Arkansas‚ FlagandBanner.com started in 1975 as a one woman door-to-door business selling the most patriotic of America‚s symbols ‚ the red, white and blue U.S. flag. During the past 39 years Arkansas‚ Flag and Banner grew from that one woman show to a multi-million dollar distributor, retailer and manufacturer and in 1995 Internet retailer. In 2000 they officially began marketing as simply FlagandBanner.com.

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Egypt makes it a crime to dishonor their flag

Posted on June 2, 2014

In the United States, there have been many attempts at making it a criminal offense to dishonor the American Flag, such as burning it in protest for example. Such laws have always failed due to "freedom of speech" or in this case political expression.

Egypt's outgoing interim president, after recent protests and uprising in their nation decreed that dishonoring their flag (and their national anthem) is a punishable offense. The law states that the crime could lead to one year in prison and a fine of more than $4,000, his spokesman said Saturday.

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AFB Poetry Reading! 

Posted on June 2, 2014

Every 1st Monday we come together as a whole company and have a big meeting. At this meeting the ABC Bear award is passed around. Today was Madison's turn to hand the bear out and she surprised us all with a poem and then awarded the bear to all of us. Here is Madison's poem:

When faced with this dilemma, How could I choose?

Could somebody win and somebody lose?

There is gregarious friendly Sam and quietly competent Sarah

That keep the showroom running and the Postal meter humming!

Trustworthy Tim and Dedicated Diana

Get the custom flags made and also the Banna's!

Margarita is sewing hammers it out, she is one person we can't do without.

Taylor ships and manager out site, taking our S.E.M. high as a kite!

Jeremy searches and purchases our stock

Arwen posts and helps me A LOT!

Roger is the jack of all trades, and the building improves with each passing day.

Tenaciously Talented Tammie is a marketing double whammy

and Stephen with his programming skills Dedupes and fixes our computering ills.

Sandra and Charles tend to the numbers and balance the books...they fill me with wonder.

Nathan is working 3 different places...He could be Sybil with all of his faces!

Mark, Tom, Preston, and Paul come sit at that phone and call, call, call.

Bonna, like Donna except with a B, dots every i and crosses all t's.

Kirk is a clown and sometimes he's loud, but he calls all his quotes and that makes me proud.

There's Grady with his calm cordial way, his customer service often saves the day.

And Kerry with her bawdy laughter, you know she's here by the shake of the rafters

Her leadership style and her fun party way, makes coming to work a joy each day.

Each one of you special, important and needed, Together a team that cannot be "beated"

So when posed with the question who goes above and beyond

Each one of you do so I can't wave a wand and choose just one

Without each of you this place wouldn't be the place that I love AFB Family

- Madison, 6-2-2014, MMMM

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Know your flag terms? 

Posted on July 30, 2014

We have a great glossary of flag terms on our website as a resource not only for flag buyers but students needing information for book reports and other facts for essays etc. We love posting these great bits of information and sometimes history on our website. We always say we are more than just a flag store and we try to embody that claim as much as possible. We have a new flag diagram which can be very helpful to young scholars or those who would like to learn more about flags.

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Arkansas FlagandBanner.com to Wind up Week-Long Veterans Celebration with Book Signing 

Posted on November 10, 2014

For Veterans Day, Nov. 11, Arkansas FlagandBanner.com will honor our nations heroes all week long with free coffee and cookies Nov. 10 15, and will round out the week on Saturday, Nov. 15 with a special book signing of Eric Blehms Fearless: The Undaunted Courage and Ultimate Sacrifice of Navy SEAL Team SIX Operator Adam Brown.

The book, which will soon be a movie, tells the heart-wrenching story of Arkansas-native Adam Brown of SEAL Team SIX who was killed in action in Afghanistan. Browns widow, Kelly Brown, and members of the dive team from the Fearless Rock Adam Brown Underwater Memorial will be on hand to sign books. The volunteers regularly maintain and improve the memorial at Blakely Dam on Lake Ouachita, which flies underwater flags supplied by ArkansasFlagandBanner.com.

Veterans are invited to drop by during the week and share their stories while they enjoy free cookies and coffee in the showroom 8 a.m. until noon all week. Visitors may also enter to win a flagpole kit complete with Old Glory, proudly made in the U.S.A. Winners will be announced at the event Saturday

The hero from Hot Springs and Navy SEAL chief gave his life during an operation in the Komar Province of Afghanistan on March 17, 2010. When coalition forces found themselves pinned down by heavy fire from a Taliban compound, Brown charged the enemy to procure a better vantage point, drawing fire away from his team.

Although Brown fell, his selfless actions led to his teams safe return and a successful operation. One SEAL was injured, but the compound was captured and the enemy killed. A true story of courage, Blehms book recounts Browns life in and out of the service.

You can celebrate our local heroes this week at Arkansas FlagandBanner.com, located at 800 West 9th Street in Downtown Little Rock.

Events for Veterans Week at Arkansas FlagandBanner.com:

• November 10-15 Veterans are invited every day for free coffee and cookies 8 a.m. noon Monday through Friday and 10 a.m. until noon on Saturday. Enter to win a U.S. flag and flagpole. (No purchase is necessary to enter contest. Entrants do not have to be in attendance to win on Saturday.)
• Tuesday, November 11 - Dont forget to thank a veteran and fly your flag proudly!
• Saturday, Nov. 15 - Come join us between 10 a.m. and 4 p.m. and have your copy of Fearless signed. At 2 p.m. the dive team from the Fearless Rock Memorial will be unveiling a new memorial plaque to honor Adam Brown. The winner of the flag and flagpole will be announced.

Special discounts will be offered the entire week. For questions about this special weeklong event to honor our veterans, call 501.375.7633.

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