On Friday, a final salute was offered by members of the Kewanee Veterans Council during their annual Flag Retirement Ceremony. Members disposed of unserviceable American flags in the parking lot outside the American Legion.
The KVC annually performs the duty of flag disposal on Flag Day, June 14. Before the flag retirement begins, the KVC members conduct a Dignified Disposal of Unserviceable Flag Ceremony, followed by a Rifle Salute.
The flags are collected all year from residents, businesses and organizations that wish to retire worn flags. The flags are then gathered together at the American Legion for the ceremony.
Jerry Thompson with both the American Legion and the KVC estimated that about 2,500 to 3,000 flags would be burned Friday over the course of several hours.
Included among the flags and the first to be disposed of was the large flag that hung over Berrien Park. Frayed and tattered at the edges, the flag was brought to the veterans by the Kewanee Chamber of Commerce.
