Retiring gracefully; Scouts ensure veterans' flags get proper sendoff
Special to Foster's Sunday Citizen Sunday, November 14, 2010 SOUTH BERWICK, Maine — The torn and faded American flag waves softly one last time in the wind as it is slowly pulled down into the hands of two boys who work together to fold the battered flag into a perfect triangle. Surrounding them, veterans stand in a salute and other Boy Scouts stand with their hands placed lightly over their hearts. On a day when most kids would be sleeping in, Boy Scout Troop 338 was venturing through the Portland Street and Woodlawn cemeteries removing tattered flags from the graves of veterans. The flags were gathered in a bag where they were then given a flag retirement ceremony later that night. "The town is responsible, by the state of Maine law, to put a flag in the flag holder on every veteran's grave," explained VFW Adjutant and Vietnam veteran Malcolm Kenney. "The VFW takes charge to make sure those flags get out and taken in." "The flag represents our country and the sacrifices veterans have made to bring peace," Kenney added of the importance of retiring flags that have become torn. "It's to honor veterans that fought for the rights we have today." The flags are put out during Memorial Day and are left out until they are taken down the day after Veterans Day. There are over 2,016 flags not only just in Woodlawn and Portland street cemeteries, the two biggest in the town, but also 114 private cemeteries, where there are many property owners removing flags. "The boys are asked to take down the flags by the veterans," Patty Olsen, Navy veteran, parent and Advancement Chair of Troop 338, said, "but they're proud to do it." "The Scouts are really lifesavers," Kenney said. "We have lots of veterans of foreign wars on active duty so it's nice to have the Scouts helping out." Last year the VFW received even more help with their project when an Eagle Scout created a map with his grandfather of where the graves of veterans were so that the VFW could easily find where to place flags. In doing the project, 50 unknown veteran graves were located, many from the Civil War and World War I. There is still a possibility that in other cemeteries there are more unknown veteran graves. For 11-year-old Connor LaPoint, there are many stories that go with the graves that help ensure the veterans are not forgotten. "There are people who fought against the Nazis," he said. "It's not just U.S. people. It's also people who wanted to be Americans."
"(The veterans are) really neat people and a treasure to our society," Daniel Olsen, 15, said. "They're great to meet and work with." For Daniel, working with the veterans has even inspired him to want to serve in the Army or National Guard when he gets older. Shamus McManus, 14, felt inspired as well to serve and wishes to one day to join the Army. LaPoint, who would like to join the Navy, said he felt it was important to give a proper retirement ceremony to a flag that represents veterans who have fought all over the world and were willing to sacrifice it all.
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