Dozens of volunteers make thousands of Canadian flags ‘magically’ appear on Canada Day

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It’s no secret that staff at Coldwell Banker Thompson Real Estate Brokerage, along with family and friends, are behind the Canada flags that appear along roadsides early in the morning on Canada Day, but knowing it doesn’t make it any less magical.

The tradition started in 1996 when Ken and Chris Thompson were running the brokerage. It was Chris’s idea, says Brent Stapleton, Broker of Record and co-owner of the brokerage. “She’s very patriotic. At that time we planted about 5,000 flags with about 20 people. We did Huntsville, Port Sydney, Hidden Valley, the subdivisions and Main Street.”

They now have about 50 volunteers in Huntsville alone who plant more than 7,000 flags in the area – Huntsville, Port Sydney, Burk’s Falls, Sundridge and South River – and another 2,500 flags are planted in Restoule and Port Loring from their office there.

The group used to meet at 5:00 in the morning to start planting flags, but now with as many volunteers as they have, they can get a later start – flag planting begins at about 7:00 a.m. and is complete by about 8:30 a.m.

Brent says that they’ve noticed over the years that many of the flags have been picked up by noon, with people carrying them on their way to local celebrations. With the increased number of people likely to be downtown for Canada 150 celebrations and the Decades Parade, they will plant more in that area this year.

“The philosophy Thompson real estate has always had, it’s community based, so whatever we can do to make the community better. Our office supports a lot of local events, too. I think each business in town needs to give back.”

So on Canada Day, watch for those little flags lining the streets and if you happen to catch the ‘magic’ in action, say thanks to the volunteers who make every Canada Day a little bit more special.