BY ADAM ATKINSON
North Country This Week

OGDENSBURG — A local Army veteran and helicopter pilot is trying to raise money to be able to fly a 4,000 square foot U.S. flag over St. Lawrence County from his chopper.

Pilot Kenneth Wilson has started a cloud funding campaign to raise cash from the public to purchase the flag and a training flag to participate in the Our Great Big Flag (OGBF) program. To donate to the effort visit givebutter.com/OGBF.

Wilson plans to fly out of Ogdensburg International Airport with the OGBF and then other airfields as permission is granted. “Funding from the donations is what will determine the actual launch date. With us only a few months in, it's hard to guess when we can fly. When support reaches around $3,000 I can order the training flag and begin practicing with it while we wait on the remaining support for the American flag to come in.  At that point both will be flown each time,” Wilson told North Country This Week.

He said the OGBF fundraising goal is $8,500, which covers the purchase of two flags (American and training). Both flags are just over 4000 square feet, Wilson said.

“The remainder of the funding will go toward building or buying support

equipment to be used for launch, recovery and storage,” Wilson said.

To learn more about Wilson’s effort visit https://www.facebook.com/kenneth.wilson.1232760/videos/4519252004757018.

The OGBF is part of a national effort. The program honors local veterans and organizations in several ways, Wilson said. Individual names may be added to the white border extending out from the training edge of the American flag (not the flag itself). Volunteers may add their own name to the training flag. And, a local veteran’s organization may serve as honorary color guard for that flight campaign and their unit's name is added to the American flag border.

Examples of the American flag being flown can be found at

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DANKXgqiZQ8&t=51s beginning at the 2:30 mark, and Northern California Veterans Museum and Heritage Center Facebook page at https://www.facebook.com/PILEDRIVER13.

“OGBF is just a few months in, and although it's somewhat frustrating at times, I am not discouraged. We have Givebutter (crowdfunding) and Facebook/MeWe pages for updating our followers,” Wilson said. “I also keep copies of the flyer in our car to hand out as we drive around the area. My hope is to be able to fly out of the Ogdensburg Airport by fall, but again, reaching our goal is what will dictate when we actually take flight,” the pilot said.

Wilson is working with the Ogdensburg Chamber of Commerce to help get the word out about the effort and said he is willing to talk with anyone about getting OGBF in the air. He can be reached at 315-767-1001 or ogbf@gmx.com.