Ann Moore, who works in the town office, told The Pilot that showing the colors was a spontaneous act. She said women started out by pinning red, white and blue ribbons to their collars. Debra Cockman, Betty Craig and Lisa Williams work in the office with Moore. They started wearing the ribbons.
“We began to see other people coming in with ribbons and so we found our flags and put them out,” she said.
After pinning on their own ribbons, they put out decorations with small flags on the counters, and draped a large flag from a table. They sent town crews to mount flags along the streets.
“We put out the town flags shortly after this happened — in memory and honoring those who were killed in this terrible thing in Washington and New York. It is the least we can do.”
Moore said she could see flags everywhere. So many people wanted show the flag that all the flags in town sold out quickly.
“You cannot buy flags anywhere,” she told The Pilot. “I am sure it is the same in all the towns in Moore County.”
That was the case all over Moore County Friday. American flags are in short supply in local stores in the wake of Tuesday’s terrorist attacks.
The rush started Wednesday morning as residents, wanting to show their patriotism, headed to discount and hardware stores to purchase symbols of America’s freedom.
“We had some in and they were gone by Wednesday,” said Freda Troutman of Burney’s Hardware in Aberdeen. “We got another shipment in this morning (Friday) and they were gone by 11 a.m.”
The store hopes to receive more flags Monday.
Lowe’s has been out of flags since 9 a.m. Wednesday, according to Sally Sherman, an employee of the Southern Pines store.
“We hope to have more by the middle of next week,” she said.
Pinehurst Hardware also ran out and ordered more from the warehouse. “The warehouse didn’t have any to send,” said employee Mike Sievers.
Kmart Super Center’s stock of flags was depleted Thursday.
“We have ordered more,” said a spokesman, “and hope to have some during the next couple of days.”
Carthage Farm Supply out Wednesday, with more not expected until the middle of next week. One Carthage woman drove down to the K-Mart in Southern Pines when she heard a shipment of flags was expected, but was told the flags were still on the truck and nobody knew when they would be available. She said she plans to return later, hoping to find one she can raise in front of her home.
From flagpoles, porch rails and awning posts all over Moore County, Old Glory flutters in every passing breeze. Many people are flying American flags on their vehicles.
At the Carthage post office, in front of the Town Hall and the MacDonald building, at the courthouse, the flag was at to half-staff Friday for the national day of prayer and remembrance.
One white house on McReynolds Street is draped with bunting, as if for a parade. Rosettes of red, white and blue festoon its gingerbread. House after house has flags in the windows, on poles, or draped from windows like the upstairs window where Barbara Frietchie waved it proudly and defiantly in the face of our enemies.
One has been hanging from an angled staff at the law offices of Lapping and Lapping since the day of the attack, said Ashley Green.
“I heard on the radio on my way to work that the first plane had hit,” she said. “Then when I got here I heard the second one hit. Then we turned on the TV, and we watched most of the day.”
It was late in the afternoon when the flag went out.
“At the end of the day, Mr. Lapping thought we ought to put up the flag,” Green said. “So we got it out and put it up. Then he got flag stickers for us to wear.”
They are still wearing them.
Features Editor Faye Dasen contributed to this report.
