| Newellton Post 174 Holds Flag Day Ceremony |
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| LtoR: Bill Stroud, Roy Baker, Sandy Lee |
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Members of American Legion Post 174 and the Vidal-Bruin Daughters of the American Revolution conducted a joint ceremony on Flag Day, June 14th, to properly dispose of well used American and Louisiana Flags. The program began at 10:00 AM at the Lake Bruin State Park Pavilion.
DAR members brought flags which had been replaced from the Ferriday Memorial Park and others that were given to members of the DAR and members of the American Legion to be put into the renewing flames.
Adjutant Roy Baker opened with a welcome and reading of the poem, "I Am The American Flag". This was followed by a prayer led by Mary McDaniel and then Sandy Lee led the Pledge of Allegiance to the Flag.
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| Flags are being prepared to enter the cleansing flames by members of Post 174. |
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As members of American Legion Post 174 prepared the first flag to be reverently placed in the flames, Lee read explanations of how and why it is cut and laid to rest in the way that it is done. The Union is cut first from the flag. The blue background is adorned with one star for each of the 50 states. The first represented Delaware, which was the first colony to become a state in 1778. The other colonies followed through 1780's admission of Rhode Island. The last state to be added to the Union was Hawaii. A law was passed at that time stating that any further additions would be done on July 4, the birthday of our Nation.
Each of the red and white stripes of the flag are then carefully cut from the flag. The stripes are placed on a pole - red first, then white - and dropped into the cleansing flames. All other flags are then respectfully placed on poles and disposed of in the flames. After all tattered and faded flags are in the flames, the Union is placed inside.
Members of the American Legion, DAR, and Lake Bruin State Park took turns in this solemn ceremony. After the benediction by Virgil Holder, refreshments were served.
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| Old Mailbox used as Flag Collection Box for Newellton Post 174. |
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