Cub Scout Pack 92 poses for a photo during their flag retirement ceremony Sun., June 14, at the Sparkman Park Purple Heart Memorial.| Randy Garrison

Flag Day was Sunday, June 14. To honor the nations flag as well as celebrate Flag Day, Cub Scout Pack 92 held a flag retirement ceremony.

The ceremony was held at the Purple Heart Monument at Sparkman Park. This also enabled a few of the scouts earn a badge that was needed to move up in the ranks.

Local veterans and civil servants were also invited to the community event.

The ceremony conducted was one that has been used by scouts and other civic organizations.

The ceremony began with the posting of the colors by the young scouts. Michael Knox then welcomed all in attendance and recognized the veterans in attendance. Receiving stars cut from one of the flags to be retired honored the veterans who were in attendance.

The others in attendance were also asked to be participants along with the scouts in the ceremony serving as Honor Guards as the flags were retired ceremoniously.

According to United States Federal Law:

The Flag when it is in such condition that it is no longer a fitting symbol for display should be destroyed in a dignified way, preferably by burning. (36U.S.C 0176(k)

According to the publication “Your Flag” after the flag is worn beyond repair, it should be cut into small pieces that will burn easily and completely on a blazing fire. It should be done in a simple manner and reduced to ashes unrecognizable as a flag.

The scouts took the flags given to them over the year and cut them into small pieces so that they could be recognized as a flag. As Tim McKelvy played taps, each scout took turns carrying the pieces of the flags where they were placed into the blazing fire. At the end a folded flag was placed inside the blaze. The fire was kept burning until only ash was left. The ashes were then buried at the memorial. The grommets were removed and will be presented to the Scouts that participated so they will forever have a reminder of the ceremony they participated in and how the flag represents the nation they are all a part of.

The ceremony was attended by the Scouts, Scout leaders, parents and grandparents of the scouts, local veterans, as well as others in the community who came out to be a part of this moving ceremony of retiring the flag of the United States of America.