Co-lin, scouts to host flag retirement ceremony

By Jennifer Edwards (Contact) | The Natchez Democrat

Published Wednesday, November 4, 2009

NATCHEZ — Copiah-Lincoln Community College in Natchez along with area Boy Scout Troops will conduct an American Flag Retirement Ceremony beginning at 9 a.m on Saturday.

The ceremony is part of Co-Lin’s Salute to Veterans in November.

“Co-Lin takes pride in its patriotism; we have many students who are veterans, and we have been a host to Eagle Scout projects,” said Teresa Busby, vice president of the campus. “So we thought it would be fitting to host an American Flag Retirement Ceremony because one has not been held recently.”

Co-Lin also has been designated a “Military Friendly College,” by the organization G. I. Jobs.

Veterans, Scouts and the community are invited to the ceremony. Individuals with flags to be retired may bring them before 8:45 a.m. that day. The flags will be “retired” according to the U.S. Flag Code which states, “The flag, when it is in such condition that it is no longer a fitting emblem for display, should be destroyed in a dignified way, preferably by burning.”

Busby said many people hold on to their worn flags waiting for such a dignified ceremony to be scheduled. This will give them an opportunity to have their American flags retired properly.

On Nov. 11, Co-Lin will host the Co-Lin Veterans Day Program beginning at 11 a.m. in the W. L. Nelson Multi-Purpose Room. The public is invited.

“This will be an honorable and respectful program involving Co-Lin and the community,” Busby said.

In conjunction with the program, Co-Lin is collecting items for soldiers overseas (pocket sized writing pads), pens, pencils, envelopes, baby wipes in small packages, fruit packs, granola bars), and items for veterans at the G. V. “Sonny” Montgomery Veterans Medical Center (new T-shirts, underwear and socks; gift cards for Walmart and Kmart; writing pads, pens, pencils, envelopes, “forever” stamps).

These items may be brought to the flag retirement ceremony or the Veterans Day Program, or may be brought to Co-Lin to the vice president’s office. Also, donors may call Mark LaFrancis, director of public information at 601-446-1205 or mark.lafrancis@colin.edu