10A | SATURDAY, JUNE 16, 2018 | SIUSLAW NEWS
Celebrating and honoring ‘Old Glory’
PHOTOS BY MARK BRENNAN/SIUSLAW NEWS
By Mark Brennan
Siuslaw News
F
lorence took time to hon-
or and celebrate Old Glory
on Flag Day last Thursday
during numerous events held
around town.
Flag Day was conceived as a
way to recognize the important
symbolic place the Stars and
Stripes has played in American
history and continues to play in
American culture.
This year’s Flag Day events
around Florence included the
annual presentation of the col-
ors by Florence Elks Lodge
1858, the distribution and dis-
play of more than 500 flags
around town and an official
“Retirement Ceremony” for de-
teriorating flags owned by local
residents and organizations.
There were also new addi-
tions to the flags displayed for
residents to appreciate, which
were located on the boardwalk
at the Port of Siuslaw. The stun-
ning visual created by the many
different flags was comprised of
a wide variety of flags of inter-
national origin, each of which
had flown over parts of pre-in-
dependent America.
The colorful banners brought
a striking combination of colors
in contrast to the usual mixture
of red, white and blue.
VOICE YOUR OPINION! — Write a Letter to the
Editor today: Editor@TheSiuslawNews.com
The most poignant event of
the day was the Retirement of
Flags ceremony, which was pre-
sided over by Florence Amer-
ican Legion Post #59, at the
Veteran’s Memorial Park on Bay
Street.
Members of local Boy and
Girl Scout troops assisted in the
ceremony which began with the
presentation of colors by mem-
bers of Coast Guard Station Siu-
slaw River.