Jim Blazey and the Blazey family have long been a staple of the Palmyra community. So when another local icon was in dire need of repair, Jim stepped in to make it right.

The massive steel flag pole that has been part of the Palmyra landscape since 1982 had recently fell victim to strong winds that bent the top of the pole, rendering it unusable for the past few months.

Jim, along with Blazey employees Rob Spry and Hayden Kier, took the initiative to rent a massive lift to make needed repairs.

The top 10 foot section of the pole had to be removed, so after grinding off bolts and removing the damaged piece, Iron Arc welding of Palmyra stepped in with the assist.

The repaired section was hoisted into place last week, and the flag was raised in time for Memorial day.

This has become somewhat of a tradition for the Blazey family, whose patriarch, John S. Blazey, Jim’s grandfather, had long been the one to make these types of repairs in the pole’s long history.

"I just felt that since my grandfather had done it, I should keep it up. It felt like it was my duty to keep the flag flying as our local forefathers had wished."