Winklers donate flag for River High School

HANNIBAL -- A large motorized American flag now hangs from the ceiling of River High School's gymnasium after a local couple donated the funds needed.

Ron Winkler, a board member of the Switzerland of Ohio Local School District, and his wife, Willie, a teacher's aide at the school, donated more than $4,000 to the school after discovering its need for the flag. The couple are both alumni of the school and often use the money they have acquired from the oil and gas industry to fund projects in the county that benefit the community.

"We just want to help the school and the kids," Winkler said.

Mark Romick, athletic director and basketball coach at River High School, said the 12-foot-by-18-foot flag has been on the school's wish list since it remodeled the facility in 2015.

"Whenever we'd go to other gyms, my wife would say, 'we need a flag that drops down, it would be really nice.' We've put a lot of money into the gym -- it's one of the nicest facilities around -- and she said that would just top it off," he said.

Romick said a few other schools in the area have similar flags and they thought it would make a good addition to the school's gym. He said they began looking at prices of the flag and went to the Winklers to discuss it with them.

"They said, 'Go get it and we'll pay for it.' So that's what we did. … We got it up this fall and we used it for the first time at the Veterans Day assembly," he said.

Romick said they are fortunate to have the support of the members of the community who have donated money to the school for a variety of projects including the purchase of new scoreboards and the basketball court floor. Community members, along with local organizations, pulled together to donate the funds needed for these projects and others, he said.

"We're fortunate to have as many people as we do who have helped out, and our school board has been wonderful. … Ron and Willie have given us money for the new basketball scoreboard, baseball scoreboard, they've been very generous. They do a lot for the kids. A lot of people don't realize it but they are giving money where their name never appears. They do things to benefit the kids," he said.

Winkler said they decided to create a trust fund with some of the money they have received through a contract with the oil and gas company. The couple owns a few farms in the county with around 600 acres. He said they use the money to donate to school projects, the fire department, the library and other organizations that help support the community.

Romick said the Winklers are a family that takes what they receive and gives it back to others.

The flag hangs from the ceiling of the gym in the middle of the basketball court. A switch on the wall lowers the flag to center court. An inscription on the base of the electric element the flag dispenses from reads, "Donated By: Ronnie & Wille Winkler Family." The Winkler's name appears on numerous other elements around the school from their generous donations.