Philly pride sparks
new holiday

By Lauren Fritsky
Times Staff Writer

Spec. Anthony Fusetti knows how it feels to look at a flag from his country when he’s far away from home.
While the American flag serves a comforting reminder, the Wissinoming native wanted a symbol more directly related to his hometown of Philadelphia.
Last year, he wrote to his mother and asked if she could send a Philadelphia flag to where he was stationed in Iraq.
"The American flag can apply to anyone," said Fusetti, 24. "To see the Philadelphia flag, you’re going to associate that with your home."
Fusetti helped the city celebrate its first Civic Flag Day on March 27 at the Municipal Services Building in Center City. Partners for Civic Pride, a local non-profit group, sponsored the event. The group, founded by Brenda Embrey Exon, wants to use the flag as a way to bolster community spirit.
"We just believe it can serve as the unifying symbol regardless of race, socioeconomic status and gender," said Leah Stauffer, co-chairwoman of PFCP.
Stauffer cited a Harvard study showing that an increase in civic pride had positive effects. They included a reduction in crime, improved economic growth, better government performance and more students going on to higher education.
Northeast residents Judy Karff and Elaine Peden also sit on the PFCP board and attended the Flag Day celebrations. The day’s events included music by Lucky Thompson’s Jazz band, a performance by the Frankford High School JROTC Color Guard, a choral performance by Kearny Elementary School and a special appearance by Willard Smith Sr., the father of actor, singer and West Philadelphia native Will Smith.
"I’m extremely happy there were civic-minded children here looking to do good for their city," said Karff, who first became interested in the flag during her participation in Dragon Boat racing in 2005.
The civic flag, azure blue and golden yellow with a coat of arms reading Philadelphia Maneto, which means "Brotherly Love," is actually 112 years old.
In 1894, the Rev. Henry C. McCook, pastor of a Presbyterian church and an entomologist, designed the flag with hopes that it would increase civic pride. He wrote a letter to then-Mayor Edwin Stuart that included his drawings for the flag. A year later, City Council adopted the design as the official flag of Philadelphia.
It has been only recently, however, that anyone began taking steps toward showcasing the flag around the city and designating a special holiday in its honor, PFCP officials said.
During the event, City Councilman Juan Ramos (D-at large) presented the group with a resolution to recognize the holiday. A resolution, however, is good for only one year. It will take 1,500 signatures for City Council to consider establishing an ordinance making the holiday official.
Guests worked toward that goal by signing flags and banners at the event, where they received smaller versions of the flag, blue and yellow frosted cupcakes and informational literature on PFCP.
Another component of the civic group includes the Philly Flags for Soldiers initiative, through which local schoolchildren will put together packages for troops in Iraq. Fusetti was honored as the inaugural Philly Flag soldier.
For that effort, PFCP is also partnering with the Philadelphia Police Department, which will provide an escort to collect the Philly Flag packages from each school.
Inspector Anthony Boyle, a Bustleton resident and member of the department’s special patrol bureau, will deliver the packages to Iraq in person. A flight engineer with the Air National Guard, Boyle plans to fly to Iraq about once a month to distribute the Philly Flag to troops regardless of the state from which they hail.
"How can you beat that message, particularly when you have soldiers over there in such a tense conflict from time to time," Boyle said of the "Brotherly Love" motto.
Kearny Elementary in Northern Liberties became the first school to participate in packaging the flags for the soldiers. Their efforts will be funded by Chapman Ford, which has locations in the Northeast.
Robert Stoller, co-founder and vice president of PFCP, said the Philadelphia flag offers a wholesome symbol in a time of high crime and political corruption.
"All we’re selling is brotherly love," he said. "It’s not political. We always knew it would happen at some point." ••
Reporter Lauren Fritsky can be reached at 215-354-3038 or lfritsky@phillynews.com