After two months, senior center to receive flag

When all other sources failed, Dayton Senior Center Site Manager Shannon Coday found a breath of relief in Dayton County Commissioner Bob Milz.

For the past two months, Coday has been hunting for a Nevada state flag to be donated to the center. The last state flag, donated Aug. 25, 1991, by Sen. Harry Reid, D-Nev., for the official dedication of the new building, had been badly tattered by the wind.

"All I'm trying to do is find out if one of these men's offices will donate a new flag," said Coday. "And after two month's time, I haven't gotten a straight answer."

Until Milz returned Coday's inquiry with a yes. The county will donate a flag to the center, he told her.

"It seemed like a simple thing to do, so I did it," said Milz.

"I had never been asked anything like this before, so a call was made to the Public Works Department to get one and they did. You pretty much need to identify the need and find a way to get it."

"The seniors here are very proud people and will not let me fly the state flag in its current condition, and I agree with them," said Coday. "But I haven't even been able to get an answer from either senator's office or Gov. Kenny Guinn's office.

"It wasn't until just last week someone from the governor's office finally said, 'No,' but without an explanation as to why."

According to Tom Baker, aide to Sen. Richard Bryan, D-Nev., Bryan's office had been more than willing to accommodate these requests using money from his re-election campaign fund. But with Bryan not seeking another term in office, he cannot keep money in that fund, thus no money for donation requests.

"Sen. Bryan normally would do it," said Baker. "He has given the flags to senior centers and schools on special occasions. But with newer campaign regulations, he cannot keep money in the re-election fund. So he is unable to do it. And I don't know if the state - Gov. Guinn's office - does anything like that."

"Gov. Guinn's office does not donate because of the amount of requests that are received," said Jack Finn, Guinn's press secretary. "We just cannot do it."

Regional representative for Reid, Yolanda Garcia, said Wednesday that June Schmidt, assistant regional manager for Reid's office in Reno, has approved the purchase of the flag and they are simply awaiting its arrival. No one from either office had called Coday to let her know, though.

"This has been very frustrating to me," said Coday. "I'd think with such a large contingency of seniors, the senators or governor would be more willing to help out.

"I could just take the money out of the advisory council fund, but that money's for senior programs. I'm not going to take from them, the center can't afford it. That's why we're asking for the flag to be donated."

The cost of a 3-foot by 5-foot "tough text" two-ply flag is $40, according to the Flag Store in Sparks. A nylon flag costs $30. The tough text is recommended for outdoor use and lasts about two times longer than the nylon.

"There actually is no money in the advisory council fund," said Emily Newpher, program manager for Lyon County Senior Services.

"Shannon was going to take the money out of her own pocket to get the flag. She was that frustrated, and she wanted the flag for the seniors that much."