The Fourth of July is next week, and if you're planning to display the American flag that day, there's a way to make sure the stars and stripes are looking their best. Once again American Legion Post 1 is partnering with Scheels for the annual flag exchange.
"Scheels buys flags and has us come down here," said Jeff Gundersen, Vice Commander of American Legion Post 1 in Reno. "If you bring in an old tattered flag, we'll give you a brand new one free of charge, and then we retire them out at the Fernley veterans cemetery in the proper manner."
The old flags collected there this week will be retired at the Northern Nevada Veterans Memorial Cemetery in Fernley next year. Local Boy Scouts help veterans with the ritual.
"The flags are burned in the prescribed manner," Gundersen said. "There's a pit built just for that and there's a ceremony done before we start."
This ensures that the stars and stripes that fly this fourth send the right message.
"It's a celebration of our nation and our flag represents that, and all the people that made the ultimate sacrifice for that flag," Gundersen said.
It's also a way for American Legion members to to connect with the public and talk about what they do for the community.
"We take care of our fellow veterans that are members, but we also reach out in the community," Gundersen said. "The homeless vets, vets in need, vets in the hospital and nursing homes."
The flag exchange is at Scheels in Sparks Tuesday and Wednesday from 10:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m. Scheels donates all of the flags.
"Scheels likes to give back to the community, and this is one of the ways they do it," Gundersen said.
The American Legion Darrell Dunkle Post 1 meets the first Tuesday of every month at 7:00 p.m. Everyone is welcome.
