PINEDALE – As JD Hamby placed a worn and tattered American Flag into the fire beneath the towering Veteran’s Memorial Monument in American Legion Park, the crowd sat silent in a moment of respect for the great symbol of freedom all Americans enjoy. The occasion was Flag Day.

On Wednesday, members of the community gathered to pay their respects for the Stars and Stripes, along with enjoying a meal hosted by the American Legion Post No. 47.

As the flag retirement ceremony got underway, members of the American Legion moved into formation at the start of the ceremony, before retired Air Force Master Sergeant Shawn Hamby spoke a few words in regard to the flag.

“It’s Flag Day,” he stated. “We’re here to honor the greatness of these Stars and Stripes. We should appreciate the freedoms symbolized by Old Glory every day. It is up to us to continue its legacy. It is up to us to protect, it is up to us to fly it proudly, and it is up to us to honor it.”

Following his address, son JD and American Legion Post No. 47 Commander Preston Goulette went through the proper steps to deem the flags that had been tattered and faded through years of use before properly retiring the flags by burning them.

The event also had a giveaway for a home flag kit, which was awarded to Jim Shaffer. Raffle tickets were also sold for the winner’s choice between an American Tactical AR-15, Remington 870 .20-gauge shotgun or a Marlin XT-22.

Following the ceremony, attendees mingled on the lush lawn of the park as the sun dipped below the horizon.