City

VFW donates large flag to Waupun Community Center


— Waupun Pioneer News is brought to you by Homan Auto Group. Article continues below. —

WAUPUN — VFW Post 6709 Bentley Hull donated a large American flag to the City of Waupun last week to be put up in the gym at the new Waupun Community Center.

The Waupun Community Center, which first opened on October 22, 2025 and held their grand opening on December 4, hadn’t acquired a flag yet for the newly completed large gym, which prompted the local VFW to make the purchase for the community.

VFW Commander Frank Mesa presented the 12’ by 8’ flag to the Waupun City Council at last week’s Common Council meeting of January 14, 2025.

“We were at the Community Center when they were presenting the open house and I noticed on the wall there was no flag, which I mentioned to [Mayor] Rohn,” Mesa said. “I then said that I’d see what our post can do.”

Mesa then held up the neatly folded flag which he had brought to the meeting, and presented it to the Council.

“We would like to donate this to the community, the City, and the Mayor this 12 by 8 flag to be hung in the Community Center gym,” he said. “And I give this to you, and at the same time as we put it up we will hold a ceremony which is what we do when we present flags.”

Commander Mesa and Mayor Bishop then posed for a photo for the presentation of the American flag, standing in front of the City of Waupun flag in the Council Chambers.

“I’m thankful to Frank and the Waupun VFW for the flag and for all they do for Waupun,” Mayor of Waupun Rohn Bishop said in a statement following the meeting. “The night of the open house, Frank walked up to me and asked, ‘Where’s the flag?’ I looked at him kind of funny and said, ‘Outside, on the flagpole.’ He chuckled at me and then explained that we should have an American flag displayed in a gym like that, and that the VFW would likely be happy to do so. I don’t know when, but we will have a proper ceremony to dedicate the flag.”

Mayor Bishop also expressed interest in getting both a State of Wisconsin flag along with a City of Waupun flag in the gym as well.

An American flag at that size is typically worth over $200 to purchase.

Mayor of Waupun Rohn Bishop receiving the flag from VFW Commander Frank Mesa.

Leave a Reply