Brian Elliot Shumsky and community members have hung hundreds of American flags around Fox Chase as a symbol of unity for the community. PHOTO SUBMITTED BY BRIAN ELLIOT SHUMSKY
Fox Chase residents may have noticed the neighborhood recently got more patriotic with hundreds of American flags popping up around the streets.
It’s a project that started with Brian Elliot Shumsky, who hung a few flags along Rising Sun Avenue and Verree Road. Shumsky wanted something that would unite every person in the community in uncertain and divisive times, he said.
“To me the flag represents the sacrifice of soldiers for our freedom and reminds me of unity and pride for my community,” he said.
Once the first few flags were hung, people responded to the idea. Neighbors donated money so that more flags would be hung.
Since then it’s snowballed, with around $2,000 being donated and resulting in 200 to 300 flags being hung around the area.
Shumsky said it’s evolved from being his project to the community’s. When he didn’t have tools to hang the flags, neighbors volunteered to help.
“Despite everything we see we believe is bad, things like this remind me of how amazing a city we actually have,” he said. ••
