Below are the winners in the 2017 Texas Independence Day Texas flag flying contest as selected by Pratt on Texas.
Each of the 3 winners will receive a Texas flag flown over the Texas Capitol on San Jacinto Day, 21 April 2017.
Great Texans, you all made it very hard on me. There are many photos that would have made fine winners and many more for honorable mention. Try again next year! – Pratt
Click on each to see a larger version.
2017 Winner: Shawn Thompson. “Flags up for the Thompson family! God Bless Texas.”
2017 Winner: Quint Johnson. “Texas Proud in the Heart of Lubbock at the Johnson house!”
2017 Winner: Johnny Loepky. “LOEPKY Mfg Inc. in Seminole, TX and LOEPKY Grubbing Inc. We build and manufacture farm equipment and do Mesquite and Land Clearing. www.loepkymfg.com”
2017 Runner-Up: Dave Thompson. “Our Texas flag proudly flown at sunrise.”
2017 Runner-Up: Karlynn Shasteen. “Flown 2 Mar 2017 in Wichita Falls, Texas.”
2017 Runner-Up: Connie Brown. “Long live the great State of Texas!”
2017 Runner-Up: Julia Taylor. “Happy Texas Independence Day from Brownwood!”
2017 Honorable Mention: Dana Phillips. “No wind this morning in Lubbock, but we had a small history lesson with both of our daughters about Texas Independence Day and the Texas Revolution.”
2017 Honorable Mention: Winona Henry. “Celebrating the great State of Texas every day!”
2017 Honorable Mention: Craig Sanders. “Happy Texas Independence Day!!”
2017 Honorable Mention: Alexe Buschman. Frenship ISD.
2017 Honorable Mention: John Eveler. “God Blessed Texas!”
2017 Honorable Mention: Val Cochran. “West Texas CHL Holders every day celebrating our independence and freedom.”
2017 Honorable Mention: Diedrich Loepky. “My Dad’s home in Seminole, Tx. We are first generation naturalized citizens. He brought my mom, me, and a suitcase of clothes in 1985. Proud to be Texan! Living the American Dream! Btw This is his Small Windy Day Flag. 20×38 on an 80ft pole he built himself. Large flag 25×40.”
2017 Honorable Mention: Bruce Whicker
2017 Honorable Mention: Mika Wyatt. “Again! Very Blessed Texan on a Beautiful Day in Lubbock!”
2017 Honorable Mention: Tammy Long. “On this solemn day we honor and remember the fallen Sons and Daughters of Texas who sacrificed ALL for the Republic and freed us from tyranny.”
2017 Honorable Mention: Terri Collie. “West Texas Sunset in God’s country.”
This is special because the flags are not flown in front of government buildings but instead they are flown in front of where Texas families live and work.
Sid, you get it. My real desire, and I’ve said so on the air, is to see Texas flags in front of homes and businesses. And I want to see Texas flags alone or equal to the U.S. flag as the Texas Flag Code calls for. Pretty and artistic is important too but is secondary in a sense to the pride of place of the Texas flag. I really like the parents using the flag and Texas Independence Day as a family bonding moment for instruction on pride in our hard-won freedom.
Think you had 14 winners, just not enough prizes. Everyone thought about stories and the comments are just as great as photos.
Yes and there were more that could have made the mentions list.
From a kind listener:
April 18, 2017
Mr. Pratt:
These gifts of photography are inspiring reminders of the sacrifices in blood, devotion, determination, and the trust in God that produced not only this marvelous state, but also our beloved nation. Thanks to all who chose to share these visuals with the rest of us!
I am especially proud of the Loepky family photographs here in Seminole. The large flag is quite a site off of the highway south of town.
Our community has been so blessed to have so many of our Mennonite settlers, since the 70’s, chose to make Gaines County their home and become American citizens.
Thank you for your program each evening and for sponsoring the flag contest every year.
Charlotte Seminole, Texas