At the request of the Council on Aging, Provo City renamed 1450 North Street "Paul Ream Avenue" Monday in honor of the local businessman.
Ream, owner of Ream's Food Bargain Warehouse in Provo, has given "generous and ongoing support" to the community, particularly to senior citizens, said Mary Alice Brooks, a representative of the Council on Aging.The renamed street runs along the north side of Ream's grocery store, connecting Freedom Boulevard to University Avenue.
Brooks said the street signs bearing Ream's name are a lasting, visual reminder of the community's appreciation for Ream's generosity. The Council on Aging paid for the new street signs.
In the 1970s Ream established an endowment for the Eldred Center for senior citizens. Money from the endowment has been used to purchase vans for the senior citizens program, to add a vestibule to the Eldred Center and to purchase billiard tables for the center, among other things. Ream has also supported the Eldred Center's annual health clinic and contributed funds for the creation of Wilderness Park in Provo.
Ream has also been a supporter of Indian organizations.
"Paul Ream has left a great legacy to this community," said Steve Densley, president of the Provo/Orem Chamber of Commerce.
Ream expressed gratitude for the honor, saying "As you do good in this world, people recognize it and you receive blessings."
Ream took the opportunity to dedicate the flag pole in front of his store during the street-renaming ceremony. The flag pole was erected 14 years ago as a memorial to the country, Provo City and in honor of Ream's father, Thomas A. Ream.
The flag pole stands 160 feet tall and weighs 10 tons. The eagle perched at the top of the pole has a 5-feet wing span. A new 60-feet-long American flag was hoisted up the pole Monday.
Ream, who is against a constitutional amendment to protect the flag, said we need to "love" people into respecting it.
"I don't worry about people destroying our flag," Ream said. "It's a lot bigger than all of us."