Flag will continue flying at Glendale Hts. VFW
A VFW post in Glendale Heights and its property manager have reached a tentative agreement that will allow the post to continue flying its American and POW flags.
VFW Post 2377 Cmdr. Terrence House said he and Charles Hold, principle of Midland Realty and Development, met Tuesday to iron out differences that surfaced after Midland sent the VFW a letter last week saying the flags were prohibited under terms of the building lease.
House said Hold agreed the flags and flagpole can remain in place at the post, which is one occupant of the Hilltop Shopping plaza at 142 E. Army Trail Road.
“When I was talking to Mr. Hold this morning I said I didn't think it would be a good idea to even relocate the flagpole,” House said. “You don't want to agitate a bunch of Vietnam veterans.”
After news of Midland's letter to the VFW was reported in the Daily Herald and other media outlets, House said the post received calls of support from veterans and nonveterans all over the country — including some from as far away as Alaska and Hawaii. Roughly 50 post members and others from across the suburbs held an American flag rally Sunday outside the post.
Had the story not been publicized, House said the property manager assigned to the Glendale Heights strip mall “would've probably kept doing what she was doing.”
“That was not very professional and user-friendly,” House said. “Mr. Hold took the bull by the horns.”
Hold told the Daily Herald on Sunday the letter sent to the VFW contained “stock language about what's generally allowed on the property.” But he also said the post members shouldn't have contacted the media before talking to the property manager.
“We never told them they had to take their flag down,” Hold said. “We wouldn't do something like that.”
Midland purchased the strip mall last August and has been making renovations to the roof, facade and parking lot.
House said Midland has agreed to install two signs identifying the VFW as a tenant of the shopping center — one on the advertising board on Army Trail Road and the other on the building itself. The company had removed the old signs.
The new signs are expected to be installed in the next two weeks, House said.
The post has been in Glendale Heights for 50 years, roughly 22 of those at its current location.