From the looks of things, agenda item No. 9 was just another presentation to the Village Board. All it said was "Presentation of American Flag to Buffalo Grove Fire Department".
Ho-hum, how nondescript can you get. Presentations to the Village Board are a dime a dozen. But when Fire Chief Terry Vavra and other officers are in their dress uniforms and there's a U.S. Marine present, you get the sense that it's anything but nondescript.
Moved to the top agenda, Vavra introduced a color guard that brought the flag, carried by Sgt. Adam Chapman, of Hanover Park, to the front of the council chambers.
And that's when the story unfolded. The flag carried by Chapman flew above Base Defense Operation Center, 3rd Battalion 25th Marines Forward, Camp Leatherneck, in the Helman Province of Afghanistan and was flown in tribute to Chapman's uncles, Jim and Kevin Hauber both of whom are Buffalo Grove Firefighter Paramedics
The intent was simple; Chapman wanted to honor a fire fighter and thought his uncles would be perfect honorees.
Unfortunately, the presentation was more somber than expected because of the deaths of 30 U.S. troops on Saturday.
The flag will be on display at the village’s main fire station on Deerfield Parkway. Also, as a tribute to American troops, Buffalo Grove fire fighters will be wearing red shirts this Friday.
It’s the flag, however, that’s important to Vavra.
“To look at and hold this flag will send chills down your spine. I don’t know why…it just does,” he said.
Maybe it’s not the flag, but what it stands for.
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