The Peaks Independent Living retirement community in Ronan got a chance to showcase the town’s patriotism when they received a 30-foot flag pole donation from former Polson residents Harvey and Joyce Town.

Peaks owners Sage and Lindsey Dorrington, are developing the land around their independent living apartments.

The flag pole was a 50th-anniversary gift from the Towns’ children and was re-gifted to The Peaks upon the Towns’ relocation to Ronan, nearby their new home.

For Sage Dorrington, the gesture means a lot to his residents because some of them are veterans of World War II and the Korean War, and both come from a generation in which the flag has a deep meaning, Sage Dorrington explains.

“We have a lot of people who this flag means a lot and represents a lot, and especially for the seniors this has a lot of meaning from their past and their country,” Sage Dorrington said. “It is a lot deeper meaning to them and to their generation, the war was real. They fought in the war, and went through the depression.

“We, as a society nowadays, take that for granted. It’s not that our current generations don’t have a respect for the flag, but to previous generations, the flag just holds a deeper meaning.”

The flag’s arrival was good in timing as it came during September, a perfect time to honor the fallen soldiers and first responders who contributed to minimizing the terrorist threat during the September 11, 2001 attacks.

“We are so far removed from some of these times during America that is kind of far off for us, and we forget what some of our previous generations went through and experienced,” Dorrington said. “It is a part of who they are are, and it makes America great again. I think that is still what makes America great, and is something that we often forget or take for granted.”

Lindsey Dorrington, co-owner of the Peaks, and wife of Sage Dorrington said she was happy with the recognition received.

“We both have family members that served in the military, and that does mean a great deal to us, “ Lindsey Dorrington said. “Both Sage and I have other family members who served. I have one set of grandparents who served, and this flag to them holds great meaning.”

The Peaks got a great deal of help from Access Montana, who helped deliver the flag to the Peaks.

“There is a reason they refer to the previous generations as one of the greatest generations of all time because of everything they saw, and everything they sacrificed that make the United States the best country in the world,” Lindsey Dorrington said. “They lost a lot of friends, they lost a lot of family members and sacrificed to make the US the best country in the world. In this country, we have the right to argue with one another, and they aren’t allowed to separate opinions.

“In these times, everyone has a different opinion. I am so thankful to have the right to a different opinion, and can share this.”

The home consists of several veterans of various wars, and the Dorrington’s said they felt a certain amount of pride with the flag displayed in Ronan.

The Dorington family owns, and operates the Indepedent Living Retirement Community in Ronan, which houses several edelery, and veterans of armed forces in the the community.