Family shows patriotism by painting flag on football field

Flag measures 95-by-50 feet

By:David Koch
   MANSFIELD — Carley and Kristen Pogorzelski wanted to help.
   As neighbors put up American flags on their mailboxes to honor the victims of the Sept. 11 tragedies, the Pogorzelski sisters were brainstorming on ways to show their patriotism.
   While their father, Paul, was driving the teen-age girls to Northern Burlington County Regional High School two days after the attacks, the Pogorzelskis had a rather ambitious idea — why not paint a huge American flag on the school’s varsity football field?
   "When the plane hit the building it was really sad and I felt I needed to do something," said Carley, a sophomore. Kristen is a senior.
   Carley approached her study hall teacher, Jon Reising, an assistant football coach at Northern, who thought it was a great idea.
   Mr. Reising then called Mr. Pogorzelski at work that morning, and that afternoon, Carley’s father was talking to Northern Burlington County Regional School District Superintendent James Sarruda.
   "He looked at me and asked if I could get it done and I said ‘Yeah,’ " said Mr. Pogorzelski.
   Mr. Pogorzelski called his office, Van Cleef Engineering in Robbinsville, and told them he wouldn’t be coming in to work.
   Beginning the evening of Sept. 12 and finishing at 2 p.m. Sept. 13, Mr. Pogorzelski and the district’s custodian, Jerry Ingling, sprayed over 70 gallons of red, white, and blue paint onto the high school football field.
   Paint for the flag was donated by MAB Paint Store in Hamilton and by Mr. Pogorzelski’s firm, Van Cleef Engineering.
   The result was a 95-by-50-foot American flag right in the middle of the football field. When it was all over, Mr. Pogorzelski said he felt satisfied.
   "We just sat there and looked at it all, shook each others’ hands and said ‘God Bless America,’ " said Mr. Pogorzelski. "It was a great experience."
   The flag was made in time for the first game of Northern Burlington’s football season, where the high school beat Burlington City 42-7.
   Saturday’s game brought the biggest crowd ever to a Northern Burlington football game, said Dr. Sarruda.
   "Many people congratulated me on the flag," said Dr. Sarruda. "Being humbled, I was quick to point out that it was our students who came up with this."
   A moment of silence was held before the game for the World Trade Center victims. It was followed by Northern Burlington County Regional High School Assistant Principal Denise Dunham singing "God Bless America."
   "Just when she started to sing, my eyes started to get teary, and so did all of my friends," said Carley.
   More than $3,000 was collected in gate sales at the game, all of which was donated to the Red Cross to help the families of the victims.
   "I was nothing short of overwhelmed by the supportive nature of the community," said Dr. Sarruda.
   Dr. Sarruda also said he was impressed with the students’ sense of unity and patriotism.
   "The school system is a microcosm of society, and our kids were very sensitive to the national tragedy."
   While no students in the school district lost any loved ones in the World Trade Center attack, about 30 percent of district students have parents at McGuire Air Force Base.
   Dr. Sarruda said the district hopes to keep the flag on the field at least until the last game of the football season on Nov. 16.
   Carley said the American flag will never look the same again.
   "The American flag has a whole new meaning in life as of Tuesday," said Carley. "Before it was just stripes and stars, but now it means we’re ready to come together and fight the people who did this."