(NAPSA)—For more than 200 years the American flag has celebrated the nation’s independence and served as an inspiration to millions. Even before the flag was officially adopted by the Continental Congress on June 14, 1777, it rep- resented the freedom and patriotism that Americansstill proudly display to this day on everything from pinsto tees to beach towels. To learn more about the nation’s strongest symbol and the history behind the stars and stripes, here are some star-spangled facts that are sure to put you on the road to becoming a true vexillologist (an expert on the history of flags!): Red stands for valor, zeal and fervency White signifies hope, innocence and purity *Blue meansloyalty, sincerity, justice and truth The white stars set in a blue field represent a constellation *Over time, the U.S. flag has incorporated various designs including a pine tree and a rattlesnake The flag design has been updated 27 times since its adoption and has long been a source of inspiration. In recent years, one of the most popular tee shirts honoring the Stars and Stripes is the Old Navy Flag Tee. Since 1994, Old Navy has saluted the flag by introducing a new flag tee design each and every year. This year, to celebrate the 10th birthday of the tee, Old Navy invites kids across America to join in the age-old tradition of commemorating the flag with its Yankee “Doodle” Flag Tee Contest. Old Navy is asking kids to design a special-edition 2004 Flag Tee for a chance to win a $25,000 U.S. Savings Bond. In support of this contest, the brand will make a combined dona- OLD NAVY AN AMERICAW TRADITION helt) Wearing your patriotism on your sleeve. tion of $100,000 to benefit P.S. Arts and Americans for the Arts—two important organizations committed to restoring arts education to our public schools at a time whencreative expression is more important than ever. Kids ages 16 and undercan pick up contest details and entry forms at their local Old Navy store from June 12 to July 4, 2003. The deadline for design submissions is November6, 2003. Customers can call 1-800-5746400 for information. Parents and teachers can also log on to old navy.com/community to find out about how they can get their child or students involved and download an entry form. So, whether you're gearing up for Independence Day celebrations or just plain proud to show off the red, white, and blue any time of the year, Old Navy’s Famous $5 Tees and Tanksare the perfect tribute to Old Glory. And this year is no exception, Americans can continue celebrating the famous design of the flag and wear their independence proudly!
