30 Nov 2021 Conway Noon Lions honor Grand Old Flag

Posted at 9:39 PMh in Features by

By Dwain Hebda 

There are few among us who can cite four decades in any affiliation, but that’s precisely the lofty accomplishment Ritchie Howell has attained within the Conway Noon Lions Club. The retired banker has made the most of that time, working through the ranks of club officers and working on various projects.

After placing a flag outside the 501 LIFE Magazine office, members are ready for their next flag delivery. Noon Lion’s Club President Denny Brown (from left), Ritchie Howell and George Newton. (Mike Kemp photo)

But one project he took over a couple of years ago helps the Central Arkansas native to leave his mark on the community above all others. Howell chairs the club’s Don Dalton Patriot Project, an annual subscription service in which club members put out flags for participating businesses on 10 patriotic holidays.

Howell, 69, administers the program with fellow Lion George Newton. He said the club has around 125 subscribers grouped into routes for individual members to manage, including installation and maintenance of flagpole brackets and the delivery, set up and take down of the flags themselves on the appropriate observances.

“It really looks good to drive through an area and see the businesses and shops with all the flags out front, particularly in downtown Conway,” Howell said.

Graduating from the University of Central Arkansas, Howell immediately began his 41-year banking career with Union National Bank. He served the last 20 years for Simmons Bank, from which he retired a little more than five years ago as president of the Conway market.

As a community banker, he had plenty of opportunities to get involved with various clubs and boards, from the local Chamber of Commerce and Haven to the United Way and his church, First United Methodist. And, of course, the Lions Club, which started looking for a program to emphasize patriotism shortly after 9/11.

“The person behind this was a member at that time, Ken Ingram,” Howell said. “Following 9/11, there was a wave of patriotic activity and we were looking for a way to bring that patriotic movement to life.”

“Ritchie is our go-to person,” said Denny Brown, president of the club who also manages a route with the program. “He repairs the brackets for the flags, he delivers flags if we need replacements. He’s our quarterback; we can depend on him for getting the flags out. He does a great job.”

Howell deflects such individual praise. He said the community impact goes far beyond the funds the program raises for the Lions’ other charitable work. Many members make their flag route a family affair, helping spread love of country and community to the next generation.

“We have a member, Kim Tyler, who was putting up flags during one holiday recently, and she took her 4-year-old nephew Tyler Lewis with her,” he said. “They put up a dozen flags, and Tyler insisted every time a flag was put up, they had to say ‘The Pledge of Allegiance.’ That was a pretty cool thing for a kid that age to say something like that. That’s what keeps you involved.”

To subscribe to the Don Dalton Patriot Project, call Howell at 501.339.8585. To learn more about the Conway Noon Lions Club, visit conwaynoonlions.org.