WAVERLY, Iowa (KWWL) The mission of the Veteran Flagpole Initiative is short and sweet: Install flagpoles for Veterans across Iowa at no cost.

Created in 2021 by Iowa Veterans, VFI volunteers are carrying out that mission far and wide across the state.

President and Founder, Eric Dolash, says VFI has already installed 81 flagpoles, and that number is about to increase significantly.

This year, for Veterans Day, the dedicated VFI volunteers will head to Keokuk County, where they will install a flagpole for a Veteran in all 18 of Keokuk County's communities. They will install all 18 on Saturday, November 9 in Keokuk County.

The non-profit operates entirely on donation, and 100-per cent of any revenues go right into the purchase of flagpoles, flags and all materials needed to get the work done. Each installation takes about one hour.

To learn more about the Veteran Flagpole Initiative, find VFI on Facebook, or go to the website: veteranflagpoles.org

You can also just email Veteran Flagpole Initiative for more information. The VFI email address is: [email protected]

VFI is always in need of donations and welcomes additional volunteers in its ongoing efforts to install flagpoles across Iowa.

The goal for this year was to install flagpoles for an Iowa Veterans in the four corner counties of the state.

Another goal is to install flagpoles for an Iowa Veterans in all 99 Iowa counties by 2028.

As an additional goal, Eric Dolash says he hopes to have a VFI team on RAGBRAI someday to install flagpoles every day of the great bicycle ride across Iowa.

Eric Dolash talks about the organizations on this week's edition of The Steele Report.