Retiring Old Glory with dignity

POST FALLS — The American Legion Post, with help from Kootenai County transfer station workers, rescued hundreds of U.S. flags bound for the landfill and will instead properly retire them next weekend.

Veteran Bob Shea said the American Legion received a call from a staff member at the Ramsey Road site early this week and picked up two boxes of old, weathered flags.

While there, a call was made to the Prairie and Pleasant View transfer station, which turned up another large container of flags that were collected by Tim Shaw, adjutant, Steven H. Nipp American Legion Post 143.

"It was a lot of flags," Shea said.

The flags had been tossed out by people over the past year, but saved and stored by transfer station employees.

Shea said the American Legion Post on Poleline Avenue and Syringa Road has a drop box for flags that need to be retired, and would appreciate it if people used it, as flags are not supposed to be tossed out with trash.

A flag retirement ceremony is scheduled 10 a.m. next Saturday at the America Legion Post on Poleline. The public is welcome.

The American Legion Manuel Schneidmiller Post 154 of Rathdrum welcomes the public to attend its annual flag retirement ceremony, also 10 a.m. next Saturday at the Rathdrum Lions Club, Northwest corner of Meyer Road and Highway 53.

Worn and tattered flags may be brought to the flag receptacle in front of Rathdrum City Hall, 8047 W. Main St., by noon Friday, June 11, or to the Saturday morning ceremony.

New replacement flags may be purchased through Rathdrum American Legion Post 154 by calling Vice Commander Bill Kinder 208-661-6850.