For Warren Burch, honoring veterans means making sure they have a place to proudly fly the American flag.Burch, a retired Navy chief petty officer, is the man behind Flags for Vets, a program that installs flagpoles at veterans' homes at no charge.And for some of the veterans who receive them, Burch says the moment can be emotional.Sometimes they'll have tears coming down their eyes because they reflect back when they were in service and some [people] of them didn't come home, Burch said.Burch served 20 years in the Navy before retiring in 1982. He said the idea for Flags for Vets came after he read about a similar program in the Star newspaper in late 2024. He wondered why veterans in communities across Canyon County, including Caldwell, Nampa and Middleton, didn't have access to something similar.Because of that concern, Burch and a group of volunteers, many of whom are veterans themselves, started Canyon County's "Flags for Vets" program this past year.They spend Mondays and Wednesdays digging holes, leveling poles and raising American flags for local veterans.Lowe's and Home Depot donate or discount materials that help the group provide the flagpoles without charging the veterans who receive them.For volunteer Gene Clements, the effort is about veterans continuing to look out for one another.Help the veterans out, and it will come back to you tenfold, Clements said. On Wednesday, Burch took Idaho News 6 to Driving Lane, a stretch of homes off Old Highway 30 that he calls the most patriotic street in America.Burch said he, Clements and another volunteer, Randy Jensen, installed flagpoles for 18 veterans on the street.Among the recipients is Frank McCrady. He served as a U.S. Army Special Forces veteran stationed in Okinawa, Japan, and was the first person to receive a flagpole through the program. McCrady said he has always flown an American flag outside his home, so when he learned about Burch's new program, he quickly signed up.I thought it was great because I've always had a flag in my front yard, McCrady said.But McCrady didn't stop at receiving his own flagpole.With time on his hands and a desire to help other veterans, he began volunteering alongside Burch's crew and installing flagpoles for others.That to me was exciting to see a team effort, McCrady said. Kind of like in the military, it's all about teams. It's not about individuals.Burch echoed that sentiment when reflecting on what Veterans Day means to him.What we serve is bigger than us, Burch said. We all love our country.Veterans interested in receiving a flagpole through Flags for Vets can contact Burch for more information. Contact informationWarren Burch: (208) 513-0001For Canyon County happenings, news, and more join our Facebook Group: 2C Neighborhood News - Nampa, Caldwell, Middleton ...read more read less