Our CERTs had the distinct honor of being invited to participate in the 6th Annual Flag Retirement Ceremony on Sunday, June 7th at T. R. Hughes Ballpark in O'Fallon, Missouri.
About 1,500 worn, tattered or torn American flags were retired during the ceremony. As many of the flags came from area businesses and homes, there were several flags that had been flown outside the U.S. with almost 100 flags from U.S. embassies or consulates that were retired.
The public was invited to attend and before the official ceremony began, there were a couple of weather-related delays that forced everyone to seek shelter inside the ballpark. There were displays from the various branches of the military and music from the St. Charles County Choral Arts Society.
The ceremony location was new this year. T. R. Hughes Ballpark offered ample parking facilities for the event which grows larger each year. Even though the event is hosted by O'Fallon Boy Scout Troop 858, there is participation from a great many scout troops from several other communities. This event is considered to be one of the largest single Boy Scout flag retirement ceremonies in the country to be held in one day.
In a long but beautifully moving ceremony that began “I am your Flag. I was born on June 14, 1777. I am more than cloth shaped into a design. I am the refuge of the world's oppressed people. I am the silent sentinel of Freedom. I am the emblem of the greatest sovereign nation on earth...”, hundreds of uniformed scouts and guests honored and showed respect to our flag in this formal military style celebration.
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