-Submitted photo
Four friends of the late Ron Newsum pose with a tree they had planted in his memory along the Des Moines River, within sight of the Old Glory on the River flagpole. They are from left, Harvey Hilpipre, Bob Singer, Dr. Kevin Schminke and Mel Schroeder. Tom Chalstrom and Brett Lauinger were also part of the project. After Newsum died Jan. 5, the six friends purchased a tree to be planted in his memory. The site was selected because Newsum created the Old Glory on the River project in 2004, a few years before he started the Brushy Creek Area Honor Flight. Old Glory on the River consists of an American flag flying from a 77-foot-tall flagpole on a pier left from the Bennett Viaduct that sits in the middle of the river. Brody Bertram, a trail and natural resource technician for Webster County Conservation, assisted the group with planting the tree.