By VALERI BEAMER
Indiana Bicentennial Commission Communications Coordinator

INDIANAPOLIS — The official Indiana Bicentennial flag will be available to every city and town across the state through a sponsorship from commission member and philanthropist P.E. MacAllister, MacAllister Machinery and the Association of Indiana Counties.

“It is tremendously important that we take time to honor Indiana’s past and recognize the enviable position our state is in moving forward,” said MacAllister of his work on the commission. “The official bicentennial flag and other commemorative items that will soon be available are symbols of what we’ve accomplished and what is left to come for our state.”

The flags will be provided along with a draft proclamation to kick off the bicentennial year. Communities are asked to raise their flags simultaneously at noon Eastern standard time on Statehood Day, Friday, Dec. 11, and fly them through the bicentennial.

“Hoosiers across the state should fly the commemorative flag as a display of pride throughout this milestone year in Indiana’s history,” said Perry Hammock, executive director of the Indiana Bicentennial Commission. “Thanks to the generosity of PE MacAllister and others, I expect to see the bicentennial flag waving in every corner of the state.”

The white flag boasts the Indiana Bicentennial logo in the blue and yellow of the Indiana state flag. Bicentennial flags are available in full size at 3 feet by 5 feet and in miniature at 4 inches by 6 inches. They can be purchased by all Hoosiers at the Indianapolis office of the Indiana Historical Bureau and online at the IHB website, just in time for the holiday shopping season.

The Indiana Bicentennial Commission is a 15-member body chaired by former Lieutenant Governor Becky Skillman and former U.S. Congressman Lee Hamilton, charged with overseeing the planning and execution of a statewide celebration for Indiana’s 200th birthday. First Lady Karen Pence serves as Official Bicentennial Ambassador.

Indiana’s 2016 bicentennial celebration aims to honor the state’s 200 years of history in a way that engages all Hoosiers and leaves a lasting legacy for future generations. The commission encourages every community in Indiana to take part in this celebration.

Visit Indiana’s bicentennial website to learn more.