Raising a flagpole at Bogart Park, brick by brick

At the end of a trail at Candlelight Hill is a 360-degree hilltop view of the 320 acres surrounding Beaumont and Cherry Valley.

Within months, flatlanders for miles around should be able to see the nautical flagpole that will be placed by early summer, towering over the 3,000-foot summit of Candlight Hill.

A ceremony marking the occasion is planned for June 24.

The Beaumont-Cherry Valley Rotary Club kicked off fundraising for the project a year ago with a chili cook-off.

At that event, James Wadlund of Beaumont’s Fire Station 66 took first place, and the $250 that he won was donated back to Rotary as part of the cook-off’s fundraiser for the flagpole at Bogart Park, which raised slightly more than $2,500 toward the campaign.

The Beaumont Lions Club, which is a partner in the effort, took second place at the event. Hughes is a member of that club.

The flagpole will be a tribute to first responders, such as the area’s police and fire departments.

The Beaumont-Cherry Valley Recreation and Park Improvement Corporation is leading an ongoing effort to raise money through sponsorships of commemorative 4-inch by 8-inch engraved bricks, being sold for $60 each, to raise funds for the nautical flag (a cross-like flag pole with an American flag in the center, rising above two flags representing the Fire Department and the Police Department on either side).

The bricks will be placed along Candlelight Trail.

Gravel will be poured at the switchbacks, or curves, along the trail.

At least 50 bricks have been sold so far, according to foundation associate Nick Hughes, who works as a special project coordinator for the park district, and whose father Dan Hughes serves as chairman of the park district’s board of directors.

“The view from the flagpole, which will be lit up, will be seen from around the area,” Hughes anticipates.

Susan Aguilar-Martinez, past-president of the Beaumont-Cherry Valley Rotary Club, was thrilled to show that there is community support and awareness for the endeavor.

“The Rotary Club of Beaumont-Cherry Valley is proud to be partnering with Beaumont Parks and Rec and the Lions Club to raise funds for the flag project at Candlelight Hill, and we’re excited to being part of something that will be seen as far as the Badlands when lit at night, that will be enjoyed by many throughout the Pass area for generations to come,” Aguilar-Martinez said.

Purchase forms for customized bricks, which can accommodate three lines of text with up to 13 characters, including spaces and punctuation, on each line, may be downloaded online at bcvparks.com/brick-fundraiser, and mailed to Noble Creek Community Center, 390 W. Oak Valley Pkwy., Beaumont, CA, 92223-1475. The organization can accept cash, check, credit card and money orders at the Noble Creek Community Center. For more information, call (951) 845-9555.

President of the park district board Dan Hughes said, “This is a great partnership with our service clubs, getting together and doing a project that our community can enjoy.”

Staff Writer David James Heiss is president-elect of the Beaumont-Cherry Valley Rotary Club. He may be reached at dheiss@recordgazette.net, and messages may be left at (951) 849-4586 x114.