Local volunteer project “Patriotic Ponte Vedra” was named the recipient of the Exchange Club of Jacksonville Beaches’ Proudly We Hail Award during its July 8 meeting.
The Exchange Club promotes the prevention of child abuse, and seeks to recognize youth, service to seniors and patriotism.
The project places American flags on the light poles along Ponte Vedra Boulevard, Solana Road and Corona Road in Ponte Vedra Beach, which according to John Cellucci, a founder of the project, is the current route because that was where most of the initial funding and support was raised when the initiative started two years ago.
However, there has been increased interest of late to branch the project farther south.
“My nephew and I have been the ones doing the actual installations, but we understand that a lot of ROTC groups and high school kids are interested in helping as a way to get service hours,” Cellucci said. “We can do it pretty quickly with a lot of volunteers.”
He was present during the meeting to accept the award along with fellow founder Belk Ingram.
Flags have been put up five times since its inception, doing so on Memorial Day, the Fourth of July and Veterans Day.
“It’s one of the best projects anybody has ever done in the MSD,” said Gary Jurenovich, MSD treasurer.
According to Cellucci, the initiative was created as a strictly grassroots effort as a group of residents wanting to do something to stand out and show their love for their country and their local community.
Which is why the growing interest does not surprise Cellucci, who is also a trustee with the Ponte Vedra Beach Municipal Service District, because he believes something as patriotic as the project is something most people should be able to get behind.
“One of the biggest rewards from doing it is the amount of people that stop or beep their horns as they go by while we’re out there putting them up,” Cellucci said. “We never look for recognition, but it’s always nice to just talk to people about what it means to them.”
