Buy a Push Broom, take the handle off (attach flag to the wooden staff), then donate the broom to a local team, a team w/ a trailer, or just put it in your robot crate afterwards for shipping home...Same thing if you do decide to get that 70" long flag staff...into the crate afterwards. Home Depot should have what you are looking for. And you can then leave your pit space fully broom clean afterwards!
http://www.yellowpages.com/saint-lou...129/home-depot