Project Stars and Stripes sees Spectrum replacing flags

ELYRIA — A knock on the door from a Spectrum employee may not be a sales pitch, but an offer of something truly free: A new American flag. This week with Veterans Day on the horizon, Spectrum launched the long-standing Project Stars & Stripes program in Ohio and throughout the country. Started in Las Vegas in 2021, the project offers a new flag to replace an old one free of charge. Recipients don't need to be Spectrum customers and the new flag, which is made in America, truly costs nothing. "A Spectrum field technician sees a lot of front porches," according to a news release from the company. "When one has a torn, faded or frayed American flag out front, the technician can knock on the door and offer a new flag. If the answer is yes, the tech swaps the old with the new and retires the old flag according to the U.S. Flag Code. No strings or cost attached." The homeowner can also choose to keep the old flag. The program was started in 2021 by the Veterans Employee Resource group at Cox Communications with technicians handing out replacement flags. Hundreds of flags have been distributed in the five years since the program started and now Spectrum is expanding it across its new 45-state service area. "Project Stars & Stripes is a natural fit for America's internet company," said John Higgins, regional vice president at Spectrum. "We are a U.S.-based company committed to recruiting and supporting veterans. Spectrum will bring Cox's customer service operations fully back to the U.S. over the next 18 months post close, making our workforce 100 percent U.S.-based." Named to Military Times' Best for Vets Employers list for the fourth year, veterans make up more than 8 percent of Spectrum's employee base. So, the next time you see a Spectrum truck out front and hear a knock on the door, you just might want to answer. Contact Christina Jolliffe at ctnews@chroniclet.com.