A new city flag will soon be flying in Batavia.
The Batavia Chamber of Commerce recently announced a winner has emerged out of 107 designs submitted in a community flag design contest launched in November.
Batavia High School sophomore Rachel Agro received the news during a graphics class at school that her entry had been chosen for the flag, Batavia Chamber of Commerce officials said.
“There were so many talented people and designs submitted, I was surprised that mine was selected,” Agro said.
The overall design is intended to represent Batavia, particularly its historical connection to windmills and the Fox River.
“I am honored that my flag was chosen to represent this wonderful community,” Agro said. “It is my hope that through my design I can give something back.”
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The city flag will be produced by Batavia-based FlagSource, and will be available through the Chamber of Commerce and during Batavia’s Flag Day celebration on June 14.
Batavia Mayor Jeff Schielke will proclaim the winning design as Batavia’s community flag during a special presentation at 7 p.m. Monday as part of the Batavia City Council meeting at the Batavia Government Center, 100 N. Island Ave.
FlagSource will produce a 3-foot by 5-foot version of the new flag that will sell for $50, and a garden-sized version of the flag with a stake for $35. To order a flag, go to www.bataviachamber.org/store/. The flags will be available for pickup at the Batavia Chamber of Commerce office, 106 W. Wilson St., and will also be for sale at the city’s Flag Day event in June.
The Chamber of Commerce will donate 25% of the net profits from the sale of the flags to the Fox Valley Patriotic Organization in support of the Batavia Flag Day Monument project, officials said.
Former Batavia City Council member Marty Callahan served as chair for the Flag Design Contest Committee.
“There were so many good choices that it was a difficult decision,” Callahan said. “The fact that five of the top 10 were student designs is a point of pride that the younger generation is invested in their community.”
The contest was conceived to help design a flag that could be proudly flown throughout the city to demonstrate commitment to and involvement in the community, Batavia Chamber of Commerce President and CEO Margaret Perreault said.
“Our town has an amazing way of depending on each other, supporting each other, and coming together for the common good and this competition has shown this,” Perreault said. “We’re also excited that the Batavia Chamber can partner with one of our valued members, FlagSource, to produce this flag so that everyone can show their town spirit by proudly flying a Batavia community flag.”
The mayor said people have frequently asked him whether Batavia had a city flag for them to display.
“Batavia has a strong and unique history, so a Batavia community flag needs to reflect this,” Schielke said. “I believe that this one does so, with a strong recognizable identity to it.”
Linda Girardi is a freelance reporter for The Beacon-News.