Several political dignitaries were at a ceremony held at Pella High School this week to celebrate a donation of 175 U.S. Flags from American Legion Post 89 to the Pella Community School District. U.S. Representative Mariannette Miller-Meeks is a veteran of the U.S. Army and had her remarks focus on the unity the flag could bring at an otherwise divided time — and she says she was motivated by the actions of Pella student Maddie Schmitz, who worked with her school’s administration and student council to get the project moving.

“It was very moving and I hope this is something we replicated across the state and across the country,” Miller-Meeks says. “As I said in my remarks, and I think Maddie exemplified in her remarks, the unity the flag represents to all of us.”

Miller-Meeks was joined by Governor Kim Reynolds, State Senator Ken Rozenboom, Senator Ernst Representative Jake Hollinrake, and several members of the American Legion as guests at the event held at Pella High School Wednesday afternoon.