POW Flags Replaced In Hatboro

HATBORO, PA —The Wipplinger family —longtime members of the borough business community —also is a long-term supporter of military veterans.

Less than a year after creating a mural honoring the borough's veterans, the family has taken on another project: Replacing the borough's tattered POW flags.

"Over 80,000 American service members are unaccounted for, that's why we display these flags. No one should ever forget how and why we are standing here today," said Jaclyn Wipplinger, a partner in Wipplinger Properties.

Wipplinger said she noticed that the POW Flags were "tattered and dirty" and it was time to upgrade them.

"My hope is that when residents see these flags, they remember and take a moment to pay respects," she told Patch recently.

The Wipplinger family also organized the borough's first veterans mural at 107 N York Road.

The 28-year-old Wipplinger said the building at 107 North York Rd. had become an eyesore. Now it displays state Rep. Nancy Guenst, Wipplinger's grandfather Alvin, and Richard Balsamo, a Vietman War veteran who works at Village Hardware.

As far as the POW flags, Wipplinger said, "the flags are a small sentiment. But amidst the current state of the world, let's honor them and respect them."

Along with these smaller efforts, Wipplinger said she has begun working with Hatboro Borough officials to improve walkability and quality of life for residents, which she says is an essential next step for revitalization.

"I often deal with those consumed in today's divisive rhetoric, and more importantly, those participating in it. I don't have time for hostility or petty behavior. Do something important."