Sheri Samson
A new American Flag made its debut during the first day of the Serpent Classic basketball tournament last Thursday.

During the opening day of the Serpent Classic, at the Thursday evening Mineral County basketball game against Battle Mountain, the high school Booster Club presented a newly purchased and installed, retractable, electronically lowered 12 foot by 18 foot American flag, positioned in the high school gym.

Before the National Anthem was presented, it was announced that funds had been raised by Michelle Hart and the Booster Club to purchase “the beautiful flag you are about to see.”

In silence this oversized flag began to slowly lower from the ceiling rafter, located midway in the gym, on the west side of the room.

Madeline Bennett sang the National Anthem after the local color guard from the VFW presented in formal fashion, honoring the flag once it had completely lowered as the flag was raised back into the ceiling mount so the basketball game could be played, a special appreciation was announced to those participating in this portion of the evening’s presentation.

Tom Gallegos, Maintenance Director for the Mineral County School District, and his staff, specifically Robert Sasser and Brandon Jackson, received thanks, as they had taken on the responsibility of overseeing and installing this new addition to the gym. Buck Hall and Cassie Dore’ from Mt. Grant Electrical were also thanked, as well as electrical installer Clemente Valenzuela.

Booster Club members, Michelle Hart, Brenda Jones, Raymond Morgan and Tom Carrigan were on hand to witness this event. Noted thanks went to Scotty Sinclair’s Station, for the continued donation to the Booster Club of a penny per gallon in the monthly gasoline fund and to Beatrice Dominguez and her family for their participation with an enchilada dinner fundraiser.