Oliver Holm, left and Devin Garrity narrate the historic American flag presentation by Janesville Scout Troop 539 at Friday's Flag Day ceremony held at the Janesville Elks Lodge.
JANESVILLE Since 1907, The Benevolent and Protective Order of the Elks has advocated for a national Flag Day. That goal was realized when President Harry Truman, a member of the Independence, Missouri Elks Lodge, signed in 1949 the law that permanently designated June 14 as National Flag Day.
Oliver Holm, left and Devin Garrity narrate the historic American flag presentation by Janesville Scout Troop 539 at Friday's Flag Day ceremony held at the Janesville Elks Lodge.
STAN MILAM/CAPITOL NEWS SERVICE
The Janesville Elks Lodge #254 continues that tradition with a unique ceremony featuring Janesville Scout Troop 539 displaying and explaining historic United States flags.
This years event was held Friday on the East Patio of the Janesville Elks Lodge at 2100 North Washington St., on Janesvilles north side.
While Saturday was National Flag Day, Elk lodges have some leeway in scheduling ceremonies.
Elks lodges are required to conduct Flag Day ceremonies, but those ceremonies can be held one week prior or one week after June 14, said Past Exalted Ruler Kathleen Hagen. This year we had our ceremony on Friday because members of the various organizations that provide color guards and firing squads are very busy on the 14th.
Flag Day is a core mission of the Elks Lodge in Janesville, said current Exalted Ruler Mydella Palmer Jorgensen.
We have a tradition of patriotism and our allegiance to the flag, Jorgensen said. This ceremony shows what we are about.
Scout troop members and leaders displayed historic flags including the Grand Union flag which flew for two years beginning in 1775. That flag had 13 stripes representing the colonies, but the flag also included a British Union Jack to recognize that the colonies were still part of the British Empire.
Old Glory was the next American flag with 13 stars and 13 stripes with no Union Jack.
Oher flags featured had 15, 33, 48 and 50 stars representing the addition of new states.
As the flags were displayed, Troop 539 scouts Oliver Holm and Devin Garrity, both Life scouts, explained the significance of each flag. Troop scouts and leaders displaying the flag were: Scoutmaster Roz Holm, adult leader Stacey Garrity, Colton Sutton, Ben Sutton, Liam Sutton and Jonas Holm.
Fridays keynote speaker was Janesville native General Andrew Poppas who serves as commanding general of the United States Army Forces Command. He said he has served around the world, but always is delighted to come home.
The flag should be very special to all of us, Poppas said. Its the cloth of our nation.
It is the symbol of our aspirational goals our founding fathers established for us, he said. Everywhere I travel around the world, that flag is the symbol of freedom, its a symbol of opportunity and a symbol of peace.
And for those who stand against us, it strikes fear in their hearts, Poppas said. We are the nation who will hold anybody accountable if they try to oppress others.
Thank you for letting me share this moment, he said.
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