Celina’s American Legion Post 18 will host a Flag Retirement Ceremony Saturday.
American Legion Member Sam Wood said the event will be a ceremonial finish for the flags. Wood said the purpose is to honor the flag passed to them for retirement with the same spirit as honoring a veteran or service worker.
“We look at all the numbers of stories and photographs that we’ve had from the past of veterans being motivated to continue the fight just by seeing the flag ahead of them,” Wood said. “And we’re supposed to honor ‘Old Glory’ for those reasons because she is a symbol of what we strive to be as Americans.”
Wood said the flag honoring is in accordance with the flag code carried out by the American Legion since the 1930s. Wood said the ceremony will begin with the unserviceable flags being presented to the Post or Advice Commander for inspection. Wood said the Commander will then give the order to execute the retirement, upon which they will be loosely folded and above ground.
The event begins Saturday at Noon at the Clay County Fairgrounds.
“That flag has served our country and we are honoring it in the same way that a veteran would,” Wood said.
Wood said that if citizens own a flag that is tattered and worn, to not throw it out but instead surrender it to a veterans organization.
“That flag, like our veterans, is the symbol for America of our defense of our freedoms,” Wood said. “And we believe, particularly the veterans and a lot of those that are first responders, law enforcement, etc, believe we should honor our flag in the same manner.”
Wood said the stars of the flags are often cut out to be given to veterans as a symbol before the flag is retired. Wood said he encourages citizens to act as if their attending church, with their phones on silent and keeping talking to a minimum. Wood said the top reasons why flags are usually considered for retirement are if they are frayed, tattered, torn, or weathered.
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