40,000 American flags to line the streets of Irving for 32nd Great Flag Caper

IRVING — Irving will be decked out in red, white, and blue with tens of thousands of American flags on almost 11 miles of MacArthur Boulevard and throughout neighborhoods in the city. It's the 32nd year of the Great Flag Caper.

It's a busy and colorful time of the year for Nell Anne Hunt. She's been organizing Irving's Great Flag Caper since 1992.

"Our theme is, 'We don't live in America. America lives in us,'" Hunt said.

Flags will be in front of homes, businesses, and places of worship throughout Irving to celebrate the Fourth of July. Everyone from seniors to toddlers in wagons will plant flags.

"We place flags all up and down MacArthur as a sign of unity for our city," Hunt said. "We don't have a north or south Irving. We just have one big hometown of patriotism."

Not one but about 40,000 American flags will line the streets of Irving. Volunteers said it's the message behind this that means the most.

"I hope people remember that a lot of people died for our flag," volunteer Toni Roten said.

Roten has been planting flags and patriotism for five years.

"I hope it brings people together," Roten said. "When I've been planting flags before, I've had people from different countries stop me and ask me about it."

"It's important to value our country," Hunt said. "A lot of times people accentuate the negative parts of our country and instead of remembering this is the greatest country in the world."

The flag planting continues through July 3. Contact Nell Anne Hunt at 972-743-5044 or nellhunt@ebby.com if you're interested in volunteering.