Mercer County Executive Brian M. Hughes and the Mercer County Office of Veteran Services invite citizens, civic groups and local Scout organizations to participate in an official flag decommissioning ceremony on Thursday, June 14, at 6 p.m. in Veterans Park (Klockner Road entrance) in Hamilton Township. In case of rain, the ceremony will be Friday, June 15, at 6 p.m.
Each year, the Mercer County Office of Veteran Services partners with local veterans from the American Legion Post 31 and the Hamilton Township Patriotic Committee to hold the time-honored decommissioning, also known as “flag retirement.”
American flags that have become tattered, soiled or are otherwise no longer fit for display will be burned in a dignified manner in a large pit during the ceremony and the flames will be doused by firefighters from the Nottingham Fire Company of Hamilton. Veteran Services has collected thousands of flags eligible for retirement from American Legion Post 31, private homes, the veterans section of Greenwood Cemetery in Hamilton and government offices.
Individuals and organizations that wish to have an American flag properly disposed of should bring the flag to any Mercer County office, including County Connection, Route 33 at Paxson Avenue, Hamilton; Lawrence Headquarters Branch of the Mercer County Library System, 2751 Brunswick Pike, Lawrence; McDade Administration Building, 640 South Broad St., Trenton; and Mercer County Veterans Home, 2280 Hamilton Ave., Hamilton.
