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Budnik’s Old Glory hard to miss
Allan Budnik and his son Alec pose in front of their Norridge home June 25. The Budniks decorate their home with American flags in preparation for the 4th of July holiday. | Curtis Lehmkuhl~Sun-Times Media
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Name:
Allan Budnik
Known as: The man whose home has a large flag
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Updated: July 29, 2012 6:27AM
The Budnik family loves its holidays.
The home at Berteau and Olcott avenues in Norridge already is bedecked in red, white and blue for Independence Day.
“And we still have more stuff to put up,” said Allan Budnik, who grew up in Harwood Heights.
Patriotic bunting hangs from the fences.
Even the planters flanking the entryway sport American flags.
Augmenting those decorations will be string of red, white and blue light embellishing the garage.
Impossible to miss is the huge American flag draped on the home’s south side.
“I think it’s 12-by-18 feet, maybe,” Budnik said. “Something like that.”
Budnik bought the flag on a whim.
“I went to a firefighters’ convention in Indianapolis,” he said. “There was this flag store, and I ordered that big flag.”
The flag made its debut on Memorial Day.
“Then we took it down,” Budnik explained, “but we put it back up for Flag Day (June 14).”
“We decided to leave it up for the Fourth of July,” he said.
Budnik credits his oldest son, Alec, for the inspiration.
“He started it,” the elder Budnick said, noting Alec has all forms of Americana memorabilia in his room.
“I was about four years old when I got my first (American) flag,” Alec Budnik said.
His collection has grown to include national monuments and tributes to firefighters.
Alec Budnik also is instrumental in the family’s other holiday displays.
“We’ve been doing this for about 10 or 11 years,” Allan Budnik said. We do things for St. Patrick’s Day, all the big holidays.
“And Alec’s a big help with the decorations.”
Alec Budnik said he enjoys putting up the decorations, even if it does take a lot work.
“I like the way the house looks,” he said, “and I feel a sense of accomplishment.”
