Showing respect to the flag

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The Washington Court House Boy Scout Troop 112 will be holding its annual American Flag Retirement Ceremony on June 14.

“It has been a couple year tradition where we have a flag retirement ceremony for the boy scouts and the community is always welcome. We have not had too many community members come out over the years, but we would like the community to come out this year,” Joyellen Pickelheimer, advancement committee member for the troop, said. “And if they have any old flags that need retired they can bring them to the ceremony.”

The event is going to start at 7:30 p.m. on Tuesday, which is Flag Day, at the parking lot across from the First Presbyterian Church, near the post office.

“These flags represent our country and we do not want tattered flags hanging around,” Pickelheimer said.”I believe it is a discrimination to our country when we have tattered flags flying about. The boys have to learn some of these flag based skills in scouts. How to fold the flag, retire the flag, and what is our flag’s meaning.”

Additionally, the scout troop is looking for new members. Children from sixth grade until they are 18 are eligible to join, but leaders suggest that the sooner a child joins, the better. The longer they wait the less amount of time the new scout will have to get merit badges or learn survival, safety or community service skills. The leaders also emphasize teaching the boys how to be good, productive members of the community.”

“We have done much with flags,” Pickelheimer said. “We have an opening ceremony, do pledge of allegiance and then they do their oath and promise to the troop flag. Any scout camp we go to, they have a flag opening ceremony. We have boys that just want to run through the pledge real quick, but if they do that we go back and have them repeat it. We are serious and don’t want to make a game out of our flag.”

The scout troop will also be going to Bear Paw Scout Camp in Mountain, Wisc., leaving on June 25 and returning on July 2. During camp the boys will be doing merit badge classes for skills such as swimming, canoeing, kayaking and other safety or survival skills.

To get a child involved or to help support the program, contact John Pickelheimer, Boy Scout Troop 112 Scout Master, at (740) 606-9395, or Joyellen at (740) 606-9396. Meetings are held on Mondays from 6:30 to 8 p.m. at the First Presbyterian Church.

Boy Scout Troop 112 to hold ceremony Tuesday

By Martin Graham

[email protected]

Reach Martin Graham at (740) 313-0351 or on Twitter @MartiTheNewsGuy

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