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Flag Retirement Ceremony teaches etiquette
By HARLAN WEIKLE
Article published on Thursday, June 21, 2007 |
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![[Image]](/content_images/062107_bee-06.jpg) |
| Photo by HARLAN WEIKLE |
| A large crowd turned out on Flag Day June 14 for the sixth annual Flag Retirement Ceremony at Chic-A-Si Park in Indian Rocks Beach. Etiquette dictates that an American flag be retired by burning. |
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INDIAN ROCKS BEACH – Someone once said a perfect day in the park can’t be made, it must be shared. If that’s true, the June 14 Flag Day event at Chic-A-Si Park was a perfect day indeed as a large crowd turned out for the sixth annual Flag Retirement Ceremony.
On hand were about 200 people as Mayor Bill Ockunzzi and VFW Post 10094 Commander Jack Dell opened the hour-long ceremony. The mayor reminded those attending that the flag represents more than just a symbol of the nation and a solemn reminder of the lives sacrificed in order to secure our freedoms.
“At the end of the day,” Ockunzzi said, “in small towns like this, we can all enjoy those freedoms.”
Major “Skip” Hartnett, president of the Clearwater Chapter of the Military Officers Association of America, gave a brief history and recitation on the proper handling of the American flag followed by a demonstration of the flag folding ceremony by members of the MacDill AFB Honor Guard.
Air Force Capt. Edward Renaldo gave the keynote address, followed by the flag retirement ceremony as members of the VFW post certified one flag as representative of the more than 100 worn and tattered flags that had been surrendered for retirement. As onlookers watched, the flag was carefully unfurled and set ablaze over a bed of white hot coals.
The audience stood quietly, sheltered by the giant Chic-A-Si oaks as the flame illuminated for a last time the faded colors and weathered threads until all that remained were ashes and the silence of the crowd.
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Article published on Thursday, June 21, 2007
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