Best of America: The Flag Ladies of Freeport, Maine

These patriotic women make supporting our troops a weekly mission.

• Inspiring Stories
• Military
• Amazing People
• Iraq War

It happens on Tuesdays from 8 to 9 a.m. on Main Street in a coastal Maine village.

A trio of retired housemates -- Carmen Footer, Elaine Greene, and JoAnn Miller -- wear coordinating outfits, wave American flags, and accept supportive honks from passing drivers. What began as a spontaneous act of patriotism in the days following 9/11 has turned into a way of life for the Freeport Flag Ladies, as they call themselves.

When troops went to Afghanistan and then Iraq, the women expanded their mission. Almost weekly, they drive more than two hours to the airport in Bangor to send off soldiers or greet those returning home, snapping pictures all the while. The photos are uploaded to freeportflagladies.com and treasured by relatives across the country. "The grateful e-mails we receive from families are what gives us the faith to go on," Greene says.

The three women forgo vacations, movies, and dinners out and use their money to buy presents for the troops: toiletries, candy, and whimsical toys (Hot Wheels are a favorite). Soldiers stationed in Afghanistan also ask for school supplies they can hand out to local children. "We like to send things that make them smile," Greene explains, "and show them that America cares."

From Reader's Digest - July 2008

 

• Best Dream Team
• Once weighed down by hard times, these five women moved on to improve their lives and become an inspiration to the youth of their community.
• 
• Best Rare Books
• An international hiking trip turns into an act of good will.
• 
• Best Headlines
• These outrageous headlines made us look twice.
• 
• Best Patriotic Pitch
• One woman tries to restore the nation's respect for our country's National Anthem and what it stands for.
• 

• Be Inspired
• Take Our Fun and Short Around the World Survey!
• Help Prevent Teen Car Crashes
• Meet 6 Incredible Individuals
• PLUS:
• Quiz: Match the Celebrity With the Cause

Judy, my friend, was working at a Maine coastal resort when she answered a call for information about the inn. After finishing the conversation, Judy stepped away from the front desk. When the phone rang again, a student intern took the call. "I forgot to ask," the customer said. "How are the rooms appointed?"

"Well, six of them are appointed west," the student answered, "and the rest are appointed east."

-- Barbara Fairfield