Medina Scouts and veterans retire American flags in annual ceremony
Photos by Ginny Kropf
MEDINA – Parents, Scouts and veterans stand at attention as they prepare for their annual flag-retirement ceremony on Flag Day at the Scout camp on School No. 10 Road.
Demonstrating the proper way to dispose of the American flag has been a tradition on Flag Day for Cub and Boy Scouts in Medina for nearly a decade.
Steve Johnson from the American Legion, left, watches a Scout place flags in the fire during a flag retiring ceremony Friday night at the Scout camp on School No 10 Road.
Dozens of Scouts, their parents and members of the American Legion and VFW in Medina gathered at the Scout camp on School No. 10 Road Friday night to burn piles of worn and torn flags.
As Scouts unfolded one flag and demonstrated how the stripes were separated from the blue field of stars, they were reminded this was not a “flag burning,” but a “flag retirement.”
Piles of flags lay on the ground waiting to be properly disposed of Friday night by Scouts in Troop 28 and 35, and Pack 28 and 35 at their Scout camp on School No. 10 Road in Medina. Also participating were members of the American Legion and VFW. Talking in back are Gary Blackburn of Ridgeway and Dave Kusmierczak of Medina, a member of the American Legion and VFW.
This giant flag supplied by Veterans Services Agency Director Earl Schmidt was among the dozens of flags burned in a flag-retirement ceremony Friday night by Scouts and veterans in Medina.
Scouts separate the stripes on an American flag to demonstrate the proper way to dispose of it at a flag retiring ceremony Friday night.
Three of the Scouts who read the meaning of each part of the flag were Tyler Miller, Cade Miller and Jon Thomas. They explained the red stripe signifies the blood shed for our freedom; the white stands for the burning tears shed by Americans who lost their sons; and the blue field is for truth and justice, like the stars that fell from heaven. The stars also represent the 50 sovereign states of our union.
Dave Kusmierczak, a member of the American Legion and VFW, said he has been coming to this ceremony on Flag Day for at least eight years. He said they also retire flags at the Conservation Club on Memorial Day weekend.
Flags which have become too worn to use can be dropped off all year at the VFW on East Center Street, the American Legion on North Main Street, Ace Hardware on East Center Street or the Veterans’ Service Agency office on Route 31 in Albion.
Alicia Vanderwalker, chaplain for Troop 28 and Cubmaster of Pack 28, helps a Scout deposit a flag in the fire.
