Flag Day is officially observed on June 14 where Americans observe the adoption of the flag of the United States. A resolution adopted by the Continental Congress on June 14, 1777 stated, ‘That the flag of the United States shall be of thirteen stripes of alternate red and white, with a union of thirteen stars of white in a blue field, representing the new constellation.’ Although it is not an official federal holiday, a proclamation was issued by, then, President Woodrow Wilson in 1916 establishing June 14 as Flag Day. It was established by Congress years later.
Dave Segura, Commander of the American Legion Post 20 in Kenai told KSRM:
“That is a day that we’re all supposed to recognize our flags and we also have ceremonies to retire our old flags, old, torn and tattered, worn our flags that aren’t suitable for being an emblem of the United States any further. At the American Legion at 6:00 p.m. on the 14th, we’ll be having a retirement ceremony for the flags where we will actually burn one of our flags. According to the flag code, there’s two proper ways to dispose of a flag, one is by burning and the other is by folding it correctly, putting it in a wood box and burying it. We burn one to symbolize the retirement of the flag.”
He wants to encourage the community:
“Yes, a lot of people like to have their own ceremonies and burn their own flags, but there are so many flags that are made with different chemicals that they can actually be toxic when you burn them. We encourage the community to bring your flags to the American Legion or one of your different service organizations like the VFW and drop them off. After the ceremony, Peninsula Memorial Chapel, once again, is graciously inviting us to bring all the flags that are brought in and they will cremate the remainder of the flags after the ceremony.”
The ceremony will be at the American Legion Post 20 in Kenai. It starts at 6:00 p.m. with a ceremonial area set up.