THE VIRGINIAN-PILOT
Copyright (c) 1996, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: Friday, July 5, 1996 TAG: 9607050133
SECTION: LOCAL PAGE: B1 EDITION: FINAL
SOURCE: BY STEVE STONE, STAFF WRITER
LENGTH: 149 lines
If patriotism and pride can be planted, then folks in Norfolk's Ocean View and Bayview should harvest a bumper crop of both after decking out their neighborhoods in the red, white and blue on Thursday.
On a Fourth of July that felt more like a warm Easter than the biggest holiday of mid-summer, scores set out at dawn on a mission to make sure a flag was flying in every yard. By mid-morning, their task was complete.
From Willoughby Bay to Little Creek Road, 13,000 page-sized Old Glories were waving in the breeze in stately lines along most every boulevard, street and cul-de-sac.
``The neighborhood looks good, and a bunch of us are feeling real good and feeling real proud,'' said John Roger, president of the Bay View Civic League and one of the organizers of the effort. ``I'm sure this effort is going to double next year.''
It was a fitting start on the anniversary of the nation's birth. All over Hampton Roads, people were out on an unusually pleasant day - the high was in the mid-70s, humidity was low and the sun bright - to enjoy the holiday and indulge in a little patriotic fervor. And for a few people, the day was their first as American citizens as they took their oath of allegiance.
At the Virginia Beach Oceanfront, Hal Scribner taped an American flag to the pole of his beach umbrella and said he had threatened to sing the National Anthem - ``until my wife threatened to divorce me. Or worse.''
The Baltimore family arrived Thursday morning. ``The hotel said we couldn't get into our room until this afternoon, but they let us check our bags and we changed in the bathrooms,'' Scribner said. ``We were on the beach in a half-hour.''
The couple spent the Fourth in Kitty Hawk last year. ``It was nice. My wife and I just liked relaxing on the beach, and it wasn't as crowded,'' Scribner said. ``But the kids like Virginia Beach better. There's more for them to do here.''
Up and down the Boardwalk, people were in the holiday mood. Many favored red, white and blue styles and some had small American flags in their pockets.
With the forecast calling for generally good weather through the four-day weekend, many business owners hope to recoup some of the losses they experienced when a cold, rainy Memorial Day left beaches deserted and hotel rooms empty.
At Mount Trashmore, it sounded like a jet plane was landing. But technicians finally fixed the sound system and the electronic blast from the speakers was quickly replaced by country music.
``We thought we'd spend a day in the park without spending a dime,'' said Tricia Fairchild of the Pembroke section. ``We were going to barbecue at home, but we figured we'd pack a lunch and spend the day here and watch the fireworks. We brought food and drinks and everything.''
Trouble was, to park anywhere near Trashmore cost $5. ``So much for spending nothing. The city gets ya coming and going,'' she said.
At Princess Anne Park, the 20th Philippine-American Friendship Day drew several thousand people to celebrate the strong link between the two nations. ``It's a day of thanks and celebration,'' said Robert Colorina, an organizer. ``Even though the United States doesn't have bases there anymore, there's still a strong link. Philippine-Americans are among the most patriotic U.S. citizens you'll find.''
More than 30 Philippine associations and groups took part.
In Norfolk, 26 people stood in front of Town Point Park's main concert stage, raised their right hands, and pledged their allegiance to America, their new homeland.
United States Magistrate Judge Thomas E. Miller and his clerk sat on stage to swear in the 26 during the holiday ceremony held by Festevents and the local office of Immigration and Naturalization Service. Hundreds sat on the lawn and cheered.
Afterward, Sally Tempest of Virginia Beach held her certificate of citizenship and miniature American flag as family members took pictures. The native of England came to the States in 1982 when she was 4.
``I guess I feel more American than British now, and I felt it was time to do this,'' Tempest said. ``I still have my roots, my heritage, many of my family back in England, but I feel more American now. . . I love America. I couldn't live anywhere but here.''
The naturalization ceremony was a part of The 14th Annual Great American Picnic and Independence Day Celebration at Town Point Park. Thousands showed up in red, white and blue shorts, toting redand white striped bags and umbrellas.
Adults shag-danced to music as the kids played tug-of-war in the Kids Quarters area near Waterside. While some opened lawn chairs to claim a patch of grass for the evening's fireworks, 9-year-old Chad Winter spent close to 31 minutes sitting on a block of ice.
The Norfolk Department of Parks and Recreation brought two, 325-pound blocks of ice to Kids Quarters, and used candy to coax kids and adults to sit on the blocks for as long as possible.
Average sitting time was one minute, but Winter, through shivering lips, said he could outlast the record of 30 minutes, 30 seconds.
``I just want,'' Winter said looking at his burgundy-red hands, ``to break the record.'' He did with 30 minutes, 50 seconds.
Next to the evening's many fireworks displays, one of the most colorful celebrations was the flag distribution in Norfolk.
State Del. Thelma Drake, who represents the 87th District, which includes Ocean View and nearby communities, embraced the flag-flying effort last year during her campaign, putting out 7,000 flags. It had been launched a year earlier by a real estate company.
This year, the effort doubled with members of 17 civic leagues putting out flags and red, white and blue bows in Roosevelt Gardens, Bayview, Meadowbrook Forest, Azalea Lakes, South Bayview, Camelia Acres, Cottage Line, Glengariff, Chesapeake Beach, East Ocean View, Idlewood, Azalea Acres, Bel-Aire Acres, Bromley, Northside, Fox Hall and Norvella Heights.
``We are trying to raise awareness, patriotism and respect for the flag,'' said organizer John Roger. ``There's a complete lack of understanding of what the flag, as a symbol, stands for. It's just another one of the values that we were brought up with as kids that are eroding. I think it's a shame.''
For many, the effort became a family affair.
Jim Hughes, a 49-year-old civil servant, gathered his 82-year-old mother and his brothers and their families together at 6 a.m. and set out to plant almost 100 flags along Beaumont Street in the Cottage Park section.
The early start was intentional. ``We wanted people to wake up and just see the flags already in their yards,'' Hughes said.
They kept running into other people out doing the same thing.
``It gives you a sense of community,'' Hughes said. ``Plus, it's a real nice get-together for my family to kick off the Fourth of July. We'll have a barbecue in my back yard and continue the celebration on into the afternoon.''
Hughes said he joined the effort this year after waking up to find someone had planted a flag in his yard last Fourth of July.
``I just wanted to share the feeling I got when I first woke up, saw that flag and realized someone had done something for the community,'' he said.
His mother, Elizabeth Hughes, armed herself with a screwdriver for the task. She'd plunge it into the ground to create a hole to plant a flag.
``I'm patriotic for one thing. I love my country,'' Elizabeth Hughes said. ``And we had a lot of good, family fun. It was lovely, brisk weather. It made you feel good.''
Hughes' brother, Douglas J. Hughes, said he participated for the sake of his daughters.
``I wanted them to do something different,'' he explained. ``I wanted my kids to have some other meaning to the holiday than just taking a day off. I wanted to instill some pride.''
Along the way, he talked with his daughters about the day's meaning, ``in order for them to know the sacrifices and what people have done to give us this great country.''
They seemed to be learning.
Daughter Wendy, 10, said Independence Day is the time to celebrate ``the birth of the United States'' and ``the day that the Declaration of Independence was signed.''
Kelly, 13, said it is the day that ``gave everybody freedom.'' ILLUSTRATION: Color photo
MIKE HEFFNER/The Virginian-Pilot
Beachgoers flocked to the Virginia Beach Oceanfront Thursday to
enjoy a beautiful July Fourth with low humidity and a high in the
mid-70s.
Photo
L. TODD SPENCER
Fireworks provided the finale for the 14th Annual Great American
Picnic and Independence Day Celebration at Town Point Park in
Norfolk Thursday. by CNB