LAKEVILLE — Hundreds of American flags were retired by the Lakeville area scout troop under overcast skies and trickling rain as part of Flag Day celebrations on Saturday, June 14.

Scout Troop 26 of Lakeville held the  flag retirement ceremony at the Lakeville United Church of Christ. Scouts of all ages and rank took part in the ceremony that aimed to respectfully burn tattered and aged American flags.

Blake Medeiros, 12, a Tenderfoot Scout from Freetown, laid flags to rest with his fellow troop members during the quiet and somber ceremony at a firepit area behind the church, where the troop is chartered.

“It was nice when you're putting them in gently to watch them burn, and to salute them to pay respects,” Blake said.

Troop leaders explained  there are three ways to retire American flags. Through burying them in the earth, in a box or through burning them. 

During the roughly one and a half hour ceremony, the scouts and a handful of attendees remained mostly  silent. The intermittent rain didn’t stop the scouts from taking turns slowly walking folded flags to the fire pit, and laying them to burn.

At the beginning of the ceremony, Lakeville State Representative Norman Orrall gave a brief speech about the importance of respectfully retiring flags. Orrall said it was the first flag retirement ceremony he’s ever attended, and the scouts impressed him by their steadfast respect.

“For me, the most striking part of it is to see how respectful they're treating the flag and how they've collected them,” said Orrall. “They've put lots of thought into this. They've planned ahead, and to then take each one and dispose of it properly is very moving to watch.”

“It's a great service to the community to be able to say, yes, we will take it, we will honor it, and you can rest assured that it'll be treated properly,” Orrall added.

Troop leaders said the hundreds of flags, that ranged from index-card size to large flying colors, have been donated to the troop over the years. 

Nick Barnick, a Lakeville resident and the troop’s scoutmaster, said after years of trying to coordinate it, this was their first flag retirement ceremony during his seven years with the troop.

“One of the conversations we have with scouts from when they start as little Cub Scouts and come up through the ranks to eventually Eagle, is constant conversation around duty to God and your country, and also how they live into that. This is just one of the many ways that they are able to show that duty to the country,” Barnick said.

Barnick said the ceremony came to be with the help of Stephen Medeiros, the assistant scoutmaster, who works as a firefighter for the Freetown Fire Department. Medeiros helped them organize the ceremony and secure the permits to have the flag burning, Barnick said.

Shaan Barnick, 15, and a life rank scout from Lakeville, said the ceremony was a good way to retire and honor the flag, something he hasn’t done since he was a younger Cub Scout. Shaan said the flag makes him think of all the things he’s able to do and achieve in life, and it felt good to pay respect to it.

“It's almost like doing a good turn and making sure that the flag is being taken care of. Since people have been taking care of us and making sure that we're able to do the things that we want to do, now we're able to give it back and take care of the flag,” Shaan said.