ABOUT THE PROJECT

LOGLINE
A dawn to dusk portrait of a community that unites once a year to celebrate the values that bind together the disparate elements and points of view of a classic Midwestern American small town.

SYNOPSIS
Three Oaks, Michigan, a farming community in southwest Michigan, embodies the values of classic small-town America but today is at a cultural, political, and economic inflection point. The town’s economy for decades has been based in agriculture and farming, but in recent years a wave of wealthy Chicagoans has moved to Three Oaks and brought with them art galleries, boutiques, spas, and expensive restaurants and bars. This trend of gentrification began years ago and accelerated markedly during the pandemic as remote work became the norm.

Every summer for the past 71 years, this small town has staged what it claims to be the largest Flag Day celebration parade in the United States. The first parade, in 1953, featured approximately 20 parade units. That number has grown to well over 100, and it is expected that the June 2024 parade will be the largest yet. The parade is always bigger in presidential election years as it attracts local and regional politicians from all points on the political spectrum. The parade features units of veterans, drill teams, pageant courts, equestrian groups, antique tractors (with the green John Deere tractors competing against the red International tractors), musical marching units, clowns, antique cars and trucks, politicians, drum and bugle corps, and elderly Shriners on mini bikes.

Flag Day the documentary will feature six key participants in the Flag Day parade throughout their preparations for the parade and during parade day. The film will be an observational portrait of a community that comes together each year in June to celebrate the flag and the shared values of small town America.

PROJECT TYPE Documentary Feature

DIRECTOR Andrew Shea, Melissa Shea
PRODUCER Andrew Shea, Melissa Shea

The Film Collaborative (TFC) is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization dedicated to providing programs and services for independent filmmakers. TFC’s federal tax ID number is 32-0295081. All donations are tax deductible to the extent allowed by law.

Support a TFC Fiscal Sponsorship Project

Please help support this project with a tax deductible contribution. The “donate” button below will take you to PayPal, but a PayPal account is not required to make a donation. You can check out 2 ways:

1. Use your PayPal account
2. Check out as a guest by selecting “Donate with a Debit or Credit Card” (no PayPal account is required)

Transaction Fee

Please consider covering the PayPal transaction fee by selecting the “I’d like to add to my donation to help offset the cost of processing” box on the next page. This will ensure your intended full donation amount will be received for the project.

Alternate Donation Payment Methods

If you prefer to donate by check, Zelle, ACH, or wire transfer, please email us for instructions.

Stock Donations

TFC accepts stock donations. By donating stock that has appreciated for more than a year, you are giving 20% more than if you sold the stock and then made a cash donation, since you will not pay capital gains taxes on the donated stock. Learn more here.

Please email us for instructions to donate stock to a fiscally sponsored project.

Donor Advised Fund (DAF) Donations

A donor-advised fund, or DAF, is like a charitable investment account for the sole purpose of supporting charitable organizations. TFC accepts DAF donations and is on file with most major DAF companies. Provide your DAF TFC’s Tax ID: 32-0295081. If we are already on file with your DAF company, they will process the donation.

Tax Receipts

In compliance with IRS rules, tax receipts for your charitable gift are issued for the amount The Film Collaborative receives after payment processor fees are deducted. The Film Collaborative emails tax receipts in PDF format within 30 days of your online donation. The “receipt” that is immediately sent to you from PayPal after you donate is just a payment receipt, not the tax receipt.

Matching Donations

Many companies have matching gift programs and can help you double your donation to a project of your choosing. Sometimes these programs will match a donation up to a year after it was originally made! Check with your employer—if they have a matching gift program, they will provide you with instructions.

End of Year Giving

November, December, and January are big giving months each year. Donors top up their annual giving in November and December. January is a new fiscal year, and some donors start their giving for the next fiscal year early. Some donors even give at the end of the year and again in January since these donations fall into different fiscal years.

Donors tend to make their large year-end donation decisions before the holidays start. In 2024, that means before December 20. TFC can accept donations by wire, ACH, and Zelle until 5:00pm Eastern Time on December 31. Online donations by credit or debit card can be made until 11:59pm Pacific Time on December 31.