Lafferty Moose Lodge members and residents hold one of the 14 flags the lodge has donated to hang throughout town. Pictured, sitting in the front row, are Paisley Dye, 3; Harry Smolira, administrator at the lodge; Haylie Dye, 7; and Erma Stoica. Standing, from left, are Dugan Dye, president of the lodge; Kara Dye; Tim Butler, past president of the lodge; Marsha Butler, acting administrator; Barb Dubiel; Dave Vigoffi; John Dubiel; Frank Dubiel; and Patty Dubiel. T-L Photo/CARRI GRAHAM

LAFFERTY — More than a dozen new American flags will soon line the roadways in Lafferty following a donation from a fraternal organization whose members work to give back to the community.

The Lafferty Moose Lodge recently purchased and donated 14 flags to the community that will hang along the utility poles throughout town. Marsha Butler, acting administrator at the lodge, said the goal is to help their hometown in any way that they can, and this was just one of those projects.

“We thought this would be a great thing for the town. We’re always trying to help out the community, reach out and do things. We’ll have Easter egg hunts for the kids, we have a Christmas party for them, we hold benefits and fundraisers for community members. If we feel like someone’s in need, we try to reach out and do what we can to help,” she said.

“A lot of people might think this is just a watering hole but it’s not, this is a family fraternity.”

On Wednesday, project organizers presented the flags to lifelong residents, all of whom were happy the town would soon have new flags. Erma Stoica, 92, one of the community’s oldest residents according to lodge members, said she was excited to see the new flags.

“I’m so happy they’re putting new ones up,” she said, adding that the old flags that were previously atop the poles were worn and “raggedy.”

Patty Dubiel, a lodge member, said she was born and raised in Lafferty. After moving away for a while, she and her husband returned to their hometown and have remained there since.

“We had to leave for about 12 years for my husband’s work, but we came back. This is where our heart is,” she added.

Dubiel said she is proud of the lodge’s donation and looks forward to seeing the flags while driving through town.

“It’s great. It shows that we have patriotic support, especially for such a small town. We have quite a few veterans here in town,” she said.

Butler said the majority of the flags will appear on poles along Harrah Drive, the main road through Lafferty, and Belmont County Road 72. She said lodge members planned to hang the remaining flags up by this past weekend.

Another project in the works is the construction of a brand new lodge facility. Butler said the Lafferty Moose Lodge was established in 1919 and the building is around 80 years old. She said members are currently raising funds to pay for the new building, which is set to be built on a piece of property near the old baseball field. Members are hoping to begin construction within the next year.