The weather Cooperated and there were more participants and observers than ever before for the 2014 Flag Day observation and flag burning ritual Saturday evening at the Flaming Foliage Festival lot.
The Flag Day program featured community organizations, local dignitaries and concluded with a ceremony to burn unserviceable flags with a fire truck and fire fighters in attendance.
Wayne Stoltz, Commandant of Bucktail Detachment #856 of the Marine Corps League and a Trustee with the Renovo Lodge #334 B.P.O.Elks organized this year's event. His intent was to involve more people in the community and to interest more residents of the community in attending. His idea was a success in both areas.
Traditionally, he said, Western Clinton County Veterans Council, comprised of Renovo's VFW, the American Legion and the Marine Corps League held the Flag Day Ceremony. The ceremony consisted solely of the burning of unserviceable flags. The Elks Lodge also held a patriotic ceremony. Neither organization had much attendance from the public. This year the two organizations and the Renovo Area Community Choir and Boy Scout Troop 137 of Renovo all worked together.
The Elks and Boy Scouts of Trop 137 opened the event with a presentation of a series of flags that were once the standard colors for our county. The Renovo Community Choir joined in with a patriotic song that captured that era and a short history of each particular flag.
A patriotic speech was given by Patricia Wilson, who also read a touching tribute she wrote and a reminder written by an anonymous author reminding us that it is the Soldier who earns and gives us the freedoms we enjoy.