Contributed Photo

The City of Summerville wrapped up a week-long celebration of friendship with a “Friendship Festival” at Dowdy Park in Summerville on Saturday.

The event featured lots of vendors, music and a celebration of friendship that culminated with the hoisting of a giant “Friendship Flag” at the park.

The World Friendship Flag is the brainchild of a former art teacher and member of the Chattooga Board of Education, Mr. John Turner.  The World Friendship project started in 1995 when the Chattooga High Interact Club sent out 7,000 small flags to sister Interact clubs around the region.  In 1996, the World Friendship Flag flew at the Olympic Games in Atlanta.

Now, there’s another connection with the World Friendship flag and the Olympics.  A special friendship flag was on hand at the festival on Saturday for local residents to sign to present to Chattooga County’s hometown Olympian – Brody Malone.

Saturday’s Friendship Festival included a program honoring Rotary District 6910, which has played a major role in supporting the Friendship event for the past 26 years.