SPOKANE COUNTY -- A Spokane County man thinks he may own the biggest flag in the Inland Northwest.
Pete Joplin flies his flag with great pride. You can't miss it if you are in the Seven Mile Falls neighborhood on Ellenwood Court. Joplin acquired the garrison flag when he was serving overseas in Germany after he got an eight foot tear in the lower red stripe. The flag is big. It is 38 feet by 20.
"Each stripe is probably 30 inches," said Joplin. "And each star is slightly larger than a basketball."
Every Memorial Day, Joplin goes from yard to yard, lowering the flags to half-staff in the morning. He then raises them again to full staff at noon.
"If you are a veteran, you should be very proud. The nation should be very proud. The nation is very proud, so you should also be proud in your service," said Joplin.
He has another tradition that he has been doing every Memorial Day for the past nine years. He flies his massive garrison flag. He repaired the tear in the stripe and is able to fly it.
Using a pulley system, it takes about 15 minutes to set up and hoist the flag. Joplin said the flag weighs five pounds.
