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4 | SUN LAKES LIFESTYLES | OCTOBER 2018 | By Anita Lawrence The Stars and Stripes have been flying above Sun Lakes since 1992. The very first flag was placed on Crystal Peak (3,098 feet), just south of Sun Lakes, by Don Reneker on Oct. 23, 1992. Reneker, an avid hiker, and his two granddaughters had hiked to the top of Crystal Peak on Oct. 22 to look at the fledgling community of Sun Lakes and the surrounding area. From their lofty perch they saw many U.S. flags flying throughout Sun Lakes in observance of the community's fifth anniversary. Inspired by the sight, Reneker's granddaughters suggested that a flag should fly above the community too. Reneker purchased a flag at a local hardware store and they returned the following day to place it atop Crystal Peak. In 1996, Reneker and George Pfeiffer carved out a trail that took a month to complete. Later, a brush fire destroyed the surrounding vegetation and cleared a path that is still used by hikers today. Since 1992 many Sun Lakes residents have made the trek up to the flag, but a small group of veterans have taken responsibility for maintaining it. Wayne Johnson began maintaining the flag in 2002 and made many trips with family members and Sun Lakes friends over the years to keep Old Glory flying. Steadfast in his commitment for 14 years, Johnson passed the mantle of maintaining the flag to Kelly Curtis in 2016. Over the years, the flag has been vandalized a number of times and Sun Lakes residents have repaired and replaced the damaged pole and flag. This summer, several residents noticed that the flag was down around July 22 and Tracy Logan confirmed the discovery. On Saturday morning, July 28, Kelly Curtis, Carl Miller, and Logan hiked up and discovered the worst vandalism to the flag and surrounding area to date. The pole had been pulled down and it and the flag were gone, graffiti had been spray-painted on the surrounding rocks, trash was scattered throughout the area, and the box that had contained a guest logbook with the names and dates of residents who had made the trip to Crystal Peak was gone. Curtis described his anger and his feeling of violation by the vandalism that had been committed. The three vets found an old piece of rebar in the brush, straightened it out by bending it between some rocks and fashioned a makeshift pole using the rebar and a flagpole they had taken up along with a new flag. Once the new flag was up the three were filled with a sense of pride and honor, feeling exhilarated by the beauty of Old Glory flying above the community once again. When I met with them, Logan quoted from his U.S. Army Heritage Book: "Any effort to describe the flag fully is as hopeless as an attempt to describe the soul." Curtis described maintaining the flag as a community pride project and he, Miller and Logan plan to gather the needed materials to erect a more permanent pole and flag in the near future. Depending on weather and wind conditions, flags will last two to three months and Curtis said he currently has a stockpile of flags that have been donated by Sun Lakes' residents. Curtis urged residents who hike to the summit of Crystal Peak to stay on the designated trails — destroying vegetation will cause erosion problems. If you are interested in joining Curtis on one of the trips to maintain the flag, you can contact him at 845-0090. The responsibility these veteran residents, both past and present, have taken on to maintain our community flag and the knowledge that it continues to fly above Sun Lakes is a symbol of everything this country was built on and what it will be in the future. Cover photo of Flag Keepers - Back row L-R: Don Reneker, Tracy Logan, Wayne Johnson; Front row: Kelly Curtis and Carl Miller keep Old Glory flying above Sun Lakes. Photo by Anita Lawrence. Duty, Honor, Country Sun Lakes' Veterans Keep Old Glory Flying

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