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Olympic flagpoles arrive in Sisters
By Jim Cornelius

Off-loading a 4,000 pound flagpole base.

Jeff Smith, a member of the Sisters School Board, is the proud owner of five massive flagpoles that graced the medals pavilion at the Salt Lake City Olympics.

Smith took delivery of the 33-foot-tall flagpoles and their 4,000 pound concrete bases at his home east of town on Sunday, March 24. He plans to put one up at his house, give two to friends and donate two others for the new Sisters High School.

The high school poles would accommodate a State of Oregon flag and the Stars and Stripes.

"The architects are real excited about it," Smith said.

The bases will have to be set into a concrete pad to keep wind from toppling the poles.

"They have an internal mechanism so the rope isn't on the outside," Smith noted. "So it's not banging on the pole."

Smith's son Matt, who was the assistant venue manager for the medals arena in Salt Lake City, talked his dad into taking some flag poles.

The first offer was for one pole. Smith wasn't sure he wanted one for himself badly enough to have it shipped to Oregon. Then his son called back and asked if he'd take five.

That sparked an idea from Smith's wife.

"Ginny said, 'let's give a couple to the school,'" Smith said.

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