VIENNA — A member of a disbanded veterans group asked trustees if the township could take over an activity they once exclusively did for the community.

Jeff Dreves, a member of Vienna VFW Post 3521 up until its closure on June 30, told trustees Monday that with their post gone, Assistant Fire Chief Michael Hagood asked him to come and see if the township would take care of putting flags up on poles along state Route 193 and Warren Sharon Road from the center of town. There are 10 flag poles on each road.

Dreves said Hagood previously put their flags up, but he and the post’s members could not do so because it requires climbing a ladder.

Trustee Phil Pegg said he had already spoken with the township’s maintenance department and Vienna Community Action Committee (VCAC), a nonprofit, about putting flags in the cemetery, adding the maintenance department was willing to work with the VFW to do so.

Dreves said he was planning on giving the VCAC items, such as placards for the flags, adding that the estimated 300 they place at the cemetery every year isn’t bad.

However, flags on the flagpoles were a different story, he said.

“He (Hagood) said he can’t do it anymore, right? We can’t do it, hell, I’m 81 years old. I can’t go up and down 10 ladders,” Dreves said. “We don’t have young people in the post, and that’s why we’re disbanding.”

Pegg said the township was planning to take care of things, adding they’ve already thought about and discussed — somewhat — ways to put the flags up.

“To me, when I’m going over Niles Vienna Road, those flags are hanging nice; that’s impressive,” Dreves said.

Dreves said the VCAC already helped the VFW with putting the flags on the graves. He added they can get them from the Veterans Administration Office for free.