Man donates $1,000 to fund new flag drop box in Marlborough City Hall

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By Stuart Foster, Contributing Writer

Flag drop box in hallway.
The flag drop box sits on the main level of City Hall in front of the City Clerk’s office. (Photo/via City of Marlborough)

MARLBOROUGH – Ray LaCouture Jr. was inspired by his father as he recently made a donation to fund a new flag drop box in Marlborough’s City Hall. 

LaCouture’s father, Raymond LaCouture Sr., served in World War II and was awarded five medals, including the Presidential Unit Citation, the Purple Heart and the Bronze Star.

“The minute I saw the Bronze Star, I knew right off the bat that he was a hero,” LaCouture said of his father in a recent interview.

‘They did a good job on it’

LaCouture Jr. contributed $1,000 to reimburse costs associated with building the flag box. His money also helped fund programming for local veterans, according to a vote taken by the Marlborough City Council to accept the donation on Oct. 18. 

LaCouture, who was adopted and never knew his father, said that his father died in a Japanese-run internment camp in Formosa, which is now Taiwan, 14 days before Allied prisoners were released. 

LaCouture currently lives in Texas and became specifically interested in the idea of a flag drop after reading an article about an Eagle Scout who installed a flag drop box at the Veterans Plaza in Boerne, Texas.

flags in box
Flags sit inside the new flag drop box at Marlborough City Hall. (Photo/via City of Marlborough)

He has family members living in Marlborough and noticed the city did not have such a drop box during a visit in 2018. He was then told that there used to be one at City Hall.

“I told them, ‘Well, we’re going to start another one then,’” LaCouture said. “So, that’s how it got started.”

Though he hasn’t been to Marlborough since the box was built, LaCouture said he’s looking forward to his next visit.

Already, he said, cousins have told him that the box looks good.

“It just blends right in in the hallway nicely,” LaCouture said. “They did a good job on it.”

Box located near City Clerk’s office

The Marlborough Department of Public Works’ Facilities Division helped craft the box, which now

“This box is specifically designated for the collection of tattered, torn or worn American flags,” reads a statement posted to the official City of Marlborough Facebook account last month. “You are encouraged to place any American flags you have in this box in order that they be given a proper retirement.”

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