REGION — All 150 flags that line Route 4 between Jay and Livermore Falls will need to be replaced next year at an estimated cost of $4,000.

Each spring volunteers place the three by five foot American Flags on 6 foot spinning poles attached to power poles located from the Jay Town Office down Main Street (route 4) into Livermore Falls and up Depot Street to show community pride.

For several years on Mondays between Memorial and Veterans Day, George Bunten American Legion Post 10 volunteers have gathered at 8 a.m. to hold American flags high and collect donations for the project. For an hour at the beginning of each work week, first in Jay and later in Livermore Falls, people stopped and dropped spare change into a collection bucket.

Donald Simoneau, who organizes the project said usually the flags will last two years. He tries to replace half the flags in one year and the remainder the following year. Due to wear, they all will need replacing next spring.

“They’re really bad. If we’re going to do this, we have to do it right. Show respect for the flags,” he said.

Simoneau said about $640 has been raised to date this year on Monday mornings. A similar amount was raised through a Facebook fundraising effort.

“We’re about a thousand dollars short,” he said. “We’ll continue the Monday morning efforts (by Main-Land in Livermore Falls) through Veterans Day, see where we stand then.”

Simoneau credited Tom Gordon and Wayne and Pat Knowlton with keeping the flags flying.

“They do all the work. Putting the flags up, keeping them looking good, taking them down in the fall,” he said.

Simoneau said his dream is to replace all 150 flags plus the spinning poles. It would cost about $7,000 to do so.

“It costs about $20 each for the flags and poles. The fittings last fairly well,” he said.

There are several ways to donate to the project. In addition to the Monday morning collections, donations may be dropped off at Otis Federal Credit Union in Jay where there is an American Legion Flag Account. Checks should list Flags project on the Memo line.

Checks may also be mailed to George Bunten American Legion Post 10, 17 Reynolds Ave., Livermore Falls, Maine 04254.