SHAWNEE TOWNSHIP, OH (WLIO) - An aspiring Eagle Scout from BSA Troop 777 chose something a little more patriotic for his community service project.
For Boy Scout Thomas Koh's project, he chose to organize a ceremony to dispose of American flags by burning. He collected around 70 flags himself from his neighborhood and other surrounding communities, then on Saturday led his fellow scouts through the full ceremony, including a performance of taps and the color guard. Koh feels that people don't have the same respect for tradition that they used to, so he wanted to teach others about flag retirement etiquette.
"The flag symbolizes all the patriotic values that we have within our country and not disposing of it properly is a disrespect not only to the flag but to those values themselves. If it's ripped, if it can't fly anymore, if it looks worn, etc., etc., turn it into your American Legion post, turn it into whoever you know might be involved in that," he said.
You can also retire a flag yourself by burning it on private property in a respectful way, or folding it into a triangle and burying it in a strong wooden box.
