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NE Mpls. Family Bonds Over Flying Flags

MINNEAPOLIS (WCCO) -- It's something a lot of us might a not notice: A simple flag pole in a neighbor's front yard. But for a northeast Minneapolis family, it's grown into something bigger.

It's hard to drive down Lowry Avenue in Northeast Minneapolis and not notice the Carsons' flags.

"I think the more (flags) the merrier. They're pretty cheap to buy and they're fun to fly," Kelly Carson said.

About four years ago, the fun started when the Carsons were renovating their home.

"It had an older garage with a bunch of junk in it and behind it and one of the things was a flag pole," said Jill Carson.

They didn't think much of it until last summer.

"My neighbor here borrowed us an American flag," Kelly Carson said. "So we just started flying it."

They didn't stop there.

"Me and my son, Cooper, and my daughter, May, we started looking on Amazon, looking at different flags, what would be fun to fly," Kelly Carson said.

It's more than just fun, however.

"I think Cooper really likes the bonding factor with his dad," Jill Carson said.

Kelly Carson works late nights as a paramedic, so mornings are a chance to spend time wtih his kids.

"We like going out and choosing it together. Cooper can hold the flag and unfold it and we'll put it up together," said Kelly Carson.

Week after week, they'll do that and find new reasons to run another up the flag pole.

"Kinda the more obscure, maybe the better? Maybe people driving by will say 'Oh, it's Bastille Day,'" Kelly Carson said.

The flags don't cost much. According to Kelly, they've bought most of their flags online for under $10.

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