Article submitted by James Master, Managing Editor of The Pilot News
MARSHALL COUNTY — Pam Schweizer-Betz, Marshall County Veteran’s Service Officer, informed the commissioners during their meeting on Monday that a flag drop box had been received.
“This will be a place where people can take their used flags and they will be disposed of properly through this box and Pam will take them to that designated area where they need to be disposed of,” said Commissioner Kevin Overmyer. He asked Schweizer-Betz how flags are properly disposed.
“There’s a ceremony that they do. It’s actually a burning of the flag. There’s a prayer and there’s a service that’s done over the flags before the stars are cut out and used to hand out and then the flags are actually burnt in a ceremony,” said Schweizer-Betz.
The stars are cut out and placed in little baggies by the American Legion Ladies Auxiliary.
When asked where the flag drop box would be located, Schweizer-Betz said that she would have to speak with someone about it. However, later on that day she notified the media that the drop box will be located in front of her office in the County Building. The County Building is located at 112 W. Jefferson Street in Plymouth.
“When I get flags that are tattered, I always take them to the Legion. They do the ceremony and the disposal on them. So, they actually have a mailbox outside of the American Legion over by the dealership. So, you drop them down in there and then they collect them and do the ceremony,” she said. Schweizer-Betz added that the Legion waits to collect a larger number before performing a ceremony.
