It’s known by many names, Old Glory, The Stars and Stripes, The Star-Spangled Banner, and the Red, White, and Blue. For 244 years, the flag of the United State of America has proudly flown throughout the world as a symbol of freedom.
Monday, June 14, is Flag Day and every year, Elks lodges throughout the nation are required to hold Flag Day Services.
Poplar Bluff Lodge 2452 will hold theirs at 7 p.m. Monday. The public is invited to attend.
Exalted Ruler of Lodge 2452 Donnie Trout looks forward to the event every year.
“I feel very lucky and patriotic to get to live in this country, under the flag,” he said.
The ritual brings out examples of every design the American flag has had since its inception.
“Before we bring a flag out, a brief history is told about the flag, when it was first flown, then the flag comes out, gets put in the stand, then we start on the next flag until we end up with the current flag that we have now,” Trout said.
The ceremony can get emotional Trout explains.
“Part of the presentation is a called response and it’s read by one of the members,” he said. “It talks about all the battles. It talks about 9/11, and by the time that was finished last year, there wasn’t a dry eye in the room.
“If you’re hearing the speaker read that, the emotions get very strong about what our country’s been through. And we are still surviving.”
According to the BPOE’s website, they were the first fraternal order to celebrate Flag Day. They made this ceremony mandatory long before National Flag Day was instituted when Congress approved the national observance and President Harry Truman, a member of the Elks, signed it into law.
And Trout wants to make sure everyone has the opportunity to participate in Lodge 2452’s annual celebration.
“I’d like to invite anyone that wants to come out and be a part of it. I don’t think they’ll leave disappointed,” he said.