“I’m praying for our country.”

Marilyn Reinking carries U.S. flag through Loveland to raise drug overdose problem awareness.
Joe Wessels | Loveland Local News Marilyn Reinking hoists an American flag as she walks up Cherokee Drive. The woman said she was attempting to draw attention to the country’s drug epidemic.

 

BY JOE WESSELS
Loveland Local News

LOVELAND, Ohio — Marilyn Reinking, 83, carries an American flag up Cherokee Drive after turning from West Loveland Avenue. The Hamilton, Ohio native and current Carthage, Tenn. resident was in Loveland visiting her sister and taking her daily morning stroll. She hoped carrying the flag on her walk would draw attention to the nation’s drug overdose epidemic.

Citing the drug problem as her motivation, one Loveland visitor decided to take the streets in a silent protest, carrying an American flag.

Marilyn Reinking, 83, walked up West Loveland Avenue carrying a shopping bag and wearing a big smile, taking her morning stroll.

“I’m praying for our country,” she said. “People don’t realize the tribulation is here in this country because we have moved away from the Bible.”

She said she didn’t think anyone would take notice of her carrying the flag, but kind of hoped someone would. She just wants people to honor and pray for our country.

Reinking lives in Carthridge, Tenn. – about 50 miles east of Nashville – now but she is from Hamilton, Ohio. She said 33 people overdosed in her mostly rural county in one year.

She was in town for a family reunion and was staying with her sister, Eileen Franz.

“My heart is in Cincinnati,” she said.

Last Updated on May 19, 2020 by Joe Wessels

About Joe Wessels 77 Articles
Long-time and award-winning Cincinnati-area journalist, radio show host, podcast producer and photographer Joe Wessels is the founder and publisher (and kinda the do-everything guy) of Loveland Local News. Previously, Wessels was the Cincinnati City Hall and Hamilton County reporter for The Cincinnati Post and a weekly columnist for Cincinnati CityBeat where he regularly broke news. Wessels moved to Loveland in 2014 and quickly realized Loveland would be a great place to fulfill his dream of creating his own online news and information publication.