Post 103 Donates Flags to Divine Wisdom Academy

On Monday, students at the Divine Wisdom Academy will notice a big change inside their classrooms - new American Flags.

The flags were donated by American Legion Post 103 of Little Neck-Douglaston in the name of Joseph C. Thomassen, a long-time legion member who has been a parishioner of St. Anastasia's Parish since 1970.

"My husband would be thrilled if he were here today. It's really just such a great honor and I'm sure he's smiling down from heaven right now," said Mary Thomassen of her late husband.

But the folks at said that the honor was all theirs.

"We're proud to accept these flags in the name of someone who did so much for our church and the community," said Michael A. LaForgia, principal of the academy. "We just felt that was not the way to honor our troops and brought the idea of updating the flags at St. Anastasia's to the Little Neck-Douglaston Lions, who said they'd be happy to help."

According to LaForgia, the idea to replace the flags at St. Anastasia materialized earlier this year as he toured the classrooms of the academy and noticed how tattered the flags had become.

"Every classroom in America should have a beautiful flag in it because it's important that our children learn to respect the flag and realize how many people have fought and died defending it," said the Lions's Carolyn Meenan.

Little Neck Douglaston Lions's president Charles McBride agreed.

"When St. Anastasia approached us with this project, we knew we had to do something and felt it was only fitting to get the local American Legion involved," he said.

He estimated that it had been more than 30 years since the installation of the original flags at St. Anastasia. McBride said he beleived that donating these new flags in honor of Thomassen was a fitting tribute to a local hero.

"Joe was just a great guy who gave a lot to St. Anastasia and to the community. So, donating the flags in his name just made sense," McBride said.