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Tne Sun City Kiwanis Club delivers the flags to VFW Post 8587 where the flags are destroyed in a dignified manner.
about burning flags. The cotton flags can cate their members about the flag. Mike to have pride in the flag. We teach them
be given to other organizations, like the McAlister, Scoutmaster of Boy Scout how to cut the flag, how to burn it and
Scouts, for retirement ceremonies, but Troop 405 in Georgetown, makes cer- then we bury the ashes.”
the synthetic flags emit toxic fumes that tain his troop conducts a retirement cer- While many groups have their own
are dangerous to people and the environ- emony at least once a year on one of their unique ceremonies to retire U.S. flags,
ment. We burn them and bury the ashes campouts. He incorporates the ceremony the VFW suggests the following steps:
ourselves behind our post.” into a general lesson about the flag. “It
is important that the scouts know what 1. The flag should be folded in its cus-
Local Cub Scout, Boy Scout and Girl the flag means, what each color means, tomary manner.
Scout troops often obtain flags for retire- the stars and the blue field. They need
ment from the VFW so they can edu- 2. It is important that the fire be fairly
large and of sufficient intensity to
ONLINE: SCTEXAS.ORG ensure complete burning of the flag.
3. Place the flag on the fire.
4. The individual(s) can come to at-
tention, salute the flag, recite the
Pledge of Allegiance and have a
brief period of silent reflection.
5. After the flag is completely con-
sumed, the fire should then be safely
extinguished and the ashes buried.
6. Please make sure you are conform-
ing to local and state fire codes and
ordinances.
Additional information concerning the
U. S. flag can be found on the Internet at
www.usflag.org.
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