ISSAQUAH, Wash. — Della DalCol said she initially placed pride flags in her front yard in Issaquah to share a message to the community, and with her own children.
"I think, for a lot of people, for so long we had to hide who we were, and we don't have to hide anymore - and for me that's what the flags represent," DalCol said. "And for me the flags represents my home as a safe place for those in the community, if they do need help they know where to go."
DalCol said flags were taken out of her yard and put into a nearby creek last year. She dismissed the incident, thinking it was teenagers. She replaced them with larger flags.
Last week, the flags taken from her yard.
She said she posted about it on NextDoor, asking if anyone had seen anything. She received a large outpouring of support.
"I actually had parents come up to me and say to me how important the flags were for them and their kids as they walked through their neighborhood, so their children who were queer knew they were supported within the community," DalCol said. "And that was really touching to me - that just me hanging a flag could do that for someone. And even for my own children just to know, you don't have to hide who you are."
Issaquah police confirmed a report of the incident was submitted, and said they are still gathering information.
"What I've learned from this is that simple little actions like flags are a big impact to a lot of people," DalCol said. "I just thought I was putting them up for myself and my family and it really served the community as a whole which was wonderful and that's not gonna stop."