Flag Day ceremony sees 60 flags retired

“The Franklin News-Post (Franklin County, VA)”, 2018-06-20

By Mary Kay White

Boones Mill – Mountain View Memorial Park held a flag retirement ceremony on Saturday morning during which nearly 60 American flags were officially retired and properly disposed of by Boones Mill Boy Scout Troop 129.

Eight scouts and several troop leaders participated in the event, during which the scouts adhered to U.S. flag code by removing the flags’ “field of blue” before carefully folding and then burning the damaged flags.

Conner Deering, 14, of Rocky Mount places retired flags on the fire at Mountain View Memorial Park during the ceremony on Saturday.
Photo courtesy of Tim Dye

U.S. flag code states that once a flag is worn and damaged, it must be completely burned beyond recognition.

The ashes from the burned flags were then gathered and buried in Mountain View Memorial Park.

“Our troop is committed to teaching our boys respect for both our flag and our servicemen and women who have fought in any of our wars,” troop leader Terry Bridges said. “We saw this as a service to our community and a way to teach our boys about respect.”

Attendees at the event were given stars cut out from the damaged flags and asked to place them in the fire in remembrance of loved ones lost while serving.

Dena Custer, receptionist at Mountain View Memorial Park and one of the organizers of the event, said that it was the park’s high volume of American flags on veterans’ graves that inspired the ceremony.

“We know that the flags need to be handled according to flag etiquette and there aren’t many places to do that,” Custer said. “We use a lot of flags here so we feel like, over time, as they’re worn, we want to make sure they’re disposed of properly.”

The park will accept anyone’s damaged flags at any point in the year and dispose of them in the annual Flag Day ceremony.

Holley Insurance will also accept faded flags at their office on Franklin Street at any time, and even gave away 74 new American flags in the week leading up to this year’s Flag Day.

Honoring and Retiring the Flag

Boones Mill – June 14th marks the 241st birthday of Old Glory, the world’s prominent symbol of freedom and independence. Flag Day, first established by Bernard Cigrand in 1885, is marked by displaying the American flag in homes and public buildings, flag-raising ceremonies, parades, and other public celebrations.

Mountain View Memorial Park will host a flag retirement ceremony and car show to honor Flag Day on Saturday, June 16th. At 11:00 a.m., the ceremony will be conducted by Boy Scout Troop 129 from Boones Mill, led by Terry Bridges. As part of the celebration, a flag collection box is in place at the entrance to the park in front of the office. Individuals can place deteriorated flags in the box, which will be properly disposed of by a flag burning ceremony according to flag etiquette. Flags can be deposited at any time leading up to the ceremony. The burning will take place near the entrance to Forest Rest Natural Cemetery. The car show will begin at 9:00 am and will be hosted by Outlaw Cruisers of Rocky Mount.

Mountain View Memorial Park is located outside of Boones Mill in Franklin County at 5970 Grassy Hill Road.

For more information please contact
Dena Custer, Mountain View Memorial Park
540-334-5410

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