Fifth graders help raise flag at OBES
BY ROBYN S. PHILIPS Gulf Breeze News robyn@gulfbreezenews.com

Robyn S. Philips/Gulf Breeze News Raising the flag Fifth graders Christopher Laurent (far left) and David Brayton help Officer Donnie Wigan raise the flag recently at Oriole Beach Elementary School.

Officer Donnie Wigen, OBE's School Resource Officer meets morning car riders with a warm welcome and raises the school's American Flag on property every morning with the same enthusiasm.

Wigan has been a Law Enforcement Officer with the Santa Rosa County Sheriff's Office for the past 15 years. He shares that working at the school has been one of the best decisions he's ever made. Along with teaching the D.A.R.E. program to fifth grade students, Office Donnie has started several other programs.

"Patrol with Officer Donnie" which is a program where students from first grade to the fourth grade go on school patrol with him. They do things like walk the halls and check for unlocked doors. He also started the flag raising service.

Two fifth grade students are chosen by their teachers to assist him in raising the flag every morning. During this service, the flag is respectfully raised and the group says the "Pledge of Allegiance."