Smith Valley NV – January 1, 2026
In celebration of the 250th anniversary of the United States’ independence (the Semiquincentennial), a remarkable chain of events was set in motion by beloved Smith Valley, Nevada Icon Rosie Sanders.
The following story and accompanying photos from Rosie Sanders, proprietor of Rosie’s Place & Cantina in Smith Valley, Nevada, reflect the phenomenal sequence of events that culminated in the breathtaking “Raising of the American Flag” to the top of its 80 foot pole on Thursday, January 1st, 2026:
On November 7, 2025 Rosie wrote: 38 years ago, the father of my children and I arrived in this country, coming directly to this beautiful little town called Smith Valley, with an immense desire to move forward a desire that filled our hearts and gave us strength every single day. We arrived with dreams, with hope, and with the firm determination to build a better future for our family and for the children God would bless us with.
I immediately made the decision to work to contribute to society like so many immigrants do, and I went to pick garlic under scorching temperatures of 90-102 degrees. Can you imagine how hard that work was?
It was very hard.
I would lose up to 20 pounds in just one month. In a way, it was also beautiful because I worked side by side with my fellow farm workers who just like us, had come here with their own dreams.
Step by step, with hard work, a lot of heart, and with God’s help, I have achieved many of my dreams. The greatest of them all has been witnessing my children earn several university degrees.
But today, I want to share another big dream with you one that I want to be shared by everyone who lives in this beautiful community of Smith Valley. As many of you know, Rosie’s Place is located right at the entrance of our town. Now, I ask you to close your eyes and imagine driving into Smith Valley… and the very first thing you see is a magnificent American flag, waving proudly atop a 80-foot flagpole.
Wow! What an unforgettable sight that would be for all the tourists traveling through here, from Lake Tahoe to Las Vegas and many other places. Wouldn’t it be beautiful for Smith Valley to be remembered for such a grand flag.
Five years ago, I started saving for this dream…so that together, we can raise that flag to fly high as a symbol of pride and gratitude in our beloved Smith Valley !!
I hope together we can make this dream come true!!
Hace 38 años, el padre de mis hijos y yo llegamos a este país, llegando directamente a este hermoso pueblito llamado Smith Valley, con un deseo inmenso de salir adelante, un deseo que llenaba nuestro corazón y nos daba fuerza cada día. Llegamos con sueños, con esperanza y con la firme determinación de construir un futuro mejor para nuestra familia y para los hijos con los que Dios nos bendeciría.
Desde el primer momento tomé la decisión de trabajar y contribuir a la sociedad, como tantos inmigrantes lo hacen. Me fui a trabajar a la pizca de ajo, bajo temperaturas de 90 a 102 grados. ¿Se imaginan lo duro que era ese trabajo? Era muy duro. Llegué a bajar hasta 20 libras en un solo mes. Sin embargo, también tenía algo hermoso, porque trabajaba hombro a hombro con otros trabajadores del campo que, igual que nosotros, habían venido con sus propios sueños.
Paso a paso, con esfuerzo, con mucho corazón y con la ayuda de Dios, he logrado muchos de mis sueños. El más grande ha sido ver a mis hijos obtener varios títulos universitarios.
Hoy quiero compartir con ustedes otro gran sueño. Un sueño que deseo que sea compartido por todos los que vivimos en esta hermosa comunidad de Smith Valley. Como muchos de ustedes saben, Rosie’s Place está ubicada justo en la entrada de nuestro pueblo. Ahora les pido que cierren los ojos por un momento e imaginen manejar hacia Smith Valley… y que lo primero que vean sea una bandera americana majestuosa, ondeando orgullosamente en lo alto de un asta de 80 pies.
Wow. Qué vista tan inolvidable sería para todos los que pasan por aquí, ya sea viajando de Lake Tahoe hacia Las Vegas o hacia cualquier otro destino. Qué hermoso sería que Smith Valley fuera recordado por una bandera tan grandiosa.
Hace cinco años comencé a ahorrar para este sueño...Espero que juntos podamos hacer este sueño realidad.
November 9, 2025: This morning, we took the first step toward a dream born from the heart: raising an 80-foot flag, tall and strong, to welcome and bid farewell to everyone who passes through this place.
Today, I want to truly thank each person EDNEY THREE SERVICE, JERRY, KEVIN & REESE who came here and helped remove those old signs. That space now has a new purpose, something greater, something that belongs to all of us.
Our flag will rise there.
And it will not just be cloth and wind. It will be a symbol of effort, unity, and love for this land.
With God’s blessing, and with the support of the entire community of Smith Valley, Yerington, Carson City, and Gardnerville and TRE , this dream will become a reality.
Because when a community stands together, great things are possible!!
With God’s grace, in less than two months our flag will be flying high.
November 9, 2025: I want to express my heartfelt gratitude to the Northern Nevada SxS Riders, some came all the way from Carson City to bring us a donation of 680.00 for our flag. Your gesture was more than just material support. It was a reminder of unity, respect, and genuine goodwill between our communities.
We truly appreciate the time, effort, and spirit you brought with you.
Thank you for showing that there are still people who help without expecting anything in return. You will always have friends and a place here.
November 13, 2025: Today we are at $20,000, and tomorrow—with the help of our beautiful community at the fundraising dinner—we hope to raise that arrow closer to $30,000.
Every dollar brings us closer to seeing our flag proudly waving at Rosie’s Place.
This project belongs to all of us. Together, we will raise the flag.
11.24.25 With heartfelt gratitude, we want to thank Nevada Landwork , Oskar Service, Jerry, and Randy for donating their time, their hard work, and for providing the machinery from their businesses to create the hole for our 80-foot flag.
Thank you for showing that when a community comes together and everyone contributes what they can, truly great things become possible.
We will never forget your support and generosity!
December 4, 2025: H.E. HUNEWILL CONSTRUCTION!! THANKS SO MUCH!
Today has been a special day: the well where our flag will stand is beginning to take shape. It is 12 feet deep and 10 feet in diameter— a solid foundation that symbolizes the strength and hope of what is to come. And it will be very secure, because God willing, this construction will rise with firmness and blessing.
Today they began pouring the cement, and we are grateful to H.E. HUNEWILL CONSTRUCTION CO. INC. for their support. Every step we take brings us closer to seeing this dream come true.
December 12, 2025: First of all, I want to apologize for not sharing an update this week on the progress of our grand flag. The truth is that it was a very productive week, full of blessings.
All the lighting has now been installed. Thanks to God, we had the help of an electrician who generously donated many hours of his time to make sure our flag is well lit and protected. From the bottom of our hearts, thank you, ROBERT FOGG from Coleville CA for all your support and dedication.
We would also like to thank GreenLine for donating the pipes needed for the installation. And a very special thank you to Curtis & Sons Construction from Gardnerville for their monetary donation, for the pipes they donated, and for committing to take care of removing all the debris after the concrete is poured, thank you!
Thank you to every person and company making this project possible. Our flag will be a source of pride for everyone!
Early this morning, all the way from Gardneville, Rafael and his work crew arrived with strong hearts and great determination to begin the concrete work, even with temperatures reaching 27 degrees. I am deeply proud of them—my hardworking and honest people—who through effort and sacrifice are always willing to give a small part of themselves to support our beautiful American flag.
God bless them for their dedication and commitment.
December 13, 2025: Look how beautiful it’s coming along. Honestly, it’s even better than I had imagined. It’s not finished yet—they will still be adding a stamped design. These amazing workers are doing extra work to stamp the concrete so it will look even more beautiful.
I also understand that Nevada Landscape will be donating pavers around the concrete. Thank you so much, Justin and Felicia!
We are truly grateful for everything you have done to help make this dream possible.
I also want to share that the flag pole has arrived—we already have it here. I’m not sure if I had mentioned it before, but it is here now. In just a few more weeks, we will be raising our flag. I will keep you all updated. And thank you to Hunewill Construction for opening today, on a Saturday, just for us, to provide the concrete! Thank you, thank you so much for your generous donation of the concrete. We are deeply grateful. Thank you.
December 29, 2025: Today, we come together with the purpose of raising our flagpole.
Achieving this milestone today is only possible thanks to the dedication and hard work of everyone involved in this important project. We extend our deepest and most sincere gratitude to Alpine West Cranes for their outstanding commitment and professionalism in installing this impressive flagpole.
If all goes as planned, on January 1st we will proudly raise our flag, marking a moment of unity, pride, and new beginnings.
December 30, 2025: We are pleased to announce that our flagpole and the United States military flagpoles are now in place.
You are cordially invited to join us on January 1 at 2:00 p.m. for the raising of our flag.
The official dedication and celebration of our flag will take place in Spring time.
Thank you, and we hope to see you on January 1, 2026.
We are eternally grateful to all of you who have provided us with every kind of support and assistance, from the bottom of our hearts thank you!
January 1, 2026: HAPPY NEW YEAR!! Here is our American Flag!!
Today, at last, we were able to raise our flag. We give thanks to God, because without Him none of this would have been possible. We also thank each and every one of you who, through your financial support and hard work, were instruments of God in fulfilling this great dream.
To God be all the glory. Today we want to share with you…this beautiful moment He allowed us to experience. Thank you from the bottom of our hearts to everyone who attended; it was a great blessing for us to see so many people gathered together.
Our flag is now flying high, moving with the beautiful breeze that began to blow triumphant, rising with strength and freedom.
It was truly something precious. And remember: this flag is not just ours, it belongs to all of you, and we raised it for the glory of God.
Click on a photo to enroll & scroll:
January 1, 2026: Rotary Club of Smith Valley members honoring the new Flags.
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