War Vet Museum burns retired flags
Out-of-service flags were disposed of properly at the Canfield War Vet Museum’s annual Veterans Day flag burning ceremony Nov. 11.
Milton Kochert (far right) read a shortened version of the dialogue that is read at all flag burning ceremonies at the Canfield War Vet Museum’s annual Veterans Day flag burning ceremony Nov. 11.
Neighbors | Abby Slanker.Teegan Fitzgerald, of New York, added a small out-of-service American flag to the fire during the Canfield War Vet Museum’s annual Veterans Day flag burning ceremony Nov. 11.
A color guard presented the flags in front of the flag burning location during the Canfield War Vet Museum’s annual Veterans Day flag burning ceremony Nov. 11.
By ABBY SLANKER
The Canfield War Vet Museum hosted its annual Veterans Day flag burning ceremony Nov. 11 in honor of veterans and their service to our country. The ceremony demonstrated the proper way to retire an American flag.
Local veterans from Canfield, Berlin Center and Salem attended the ceremony. To start the ceremony, a color guard presented the flags in front of the flag burning location. The Pledge of Allegiance was recited by attendees, a prayer was delivered and the burning of out-of-service flags commenced as Milton Kochert read a shortened version of the dialogue that is read at all flag burning ceremonies.
According to Pam Speece, secretary/treasurer of the museum, the flags that were burned at the ceremony were dropped off at the museum throughout the year to be disposed of properly.
“People can drop off torn or faded flags here any time of the year. If, for any reason, anyone needs to or wants to discard a flag, they can bring them here and they will be disposed of properly. The museum holds this ceremony every year and has been holding it for a number of years. We usually have a large number of flags to dispose of,” Speece said.
With the number of flags collected this year, Speece expected the burning of the flags to last well into the evening.
The museum has more than 40,000 items, all of which have been donated, on display on four floors and there is one or more room for each war.
According to Lew Speece, owner/operator, president of the museum and commander of Legion Post 177, the purpose of the museum is to collect and preserve items and history from American wars and the museum is a memorial to all those who have served their country.
The museum is open to the public and welcomes group tours. For more information, call 330-533-6311.