Mercy Medical Center workers honored with flag line

April 28, 2021 | Peter Currier
peter@thewestfieldnewsgroup.com


Southwick American Legionaires and Boy Scouts from Post 338 are led by Post Commander Russ Pike during the flag line event on April 19.
Reminder Publishing photo by Marc St. Onge

SPRINGFIELD – American Legion Post 338 honored Mercy Medical Center healthcare workers for their work fighting against the COVID-19 pandemic with a flag line on April 19.

Dozens of members of American Legion Post 338 out of Southwick attended the flag line to show their support for healthcare workers everywhere who have worked through the pandemic.

Post Commander Russ Pike led the flag line along with Patriot Guard Riders who typically volunteer to ride along on their motorcycles with the family members of veterans who have passed away.

Pike said that he sees healthcare workers who worked during the pandemic as having served their country the same way a military veteran would.

“They didn't sign on to the military but they got drafted and deployed immediately to serve this country,” said Pike.

Pike said a flag line is an honor usually reserved for war veterans who have passed away. He first ran the idea by members of the American Legion and the Patriot Riders, who all agreed that it would be a good idea.

“Everybody agreed that this would be an honorable thing to do and show in a little way these nurses and doctors at the hospitals that we appreciate them,” said Pike, “It’s different than what a flag line is usually, but I think this really enhances the meaning of it.”

Pike said they chose Mercy Medical Center mostly out of convenience of location and parking. He had originally wanted to have multiple simultaneous flag lines at three or four local hospitals, but the logistics did not work out. Even though it was only at Mercy Medical Center, Pike said the flag line was in honor of all healthcare workers.

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