Kiwanis Club burns hundreds of flags
Video
Old Flags Never Die
Members of Janesville's Blackhawk Golden "K" Kiwanis Club hosted the seventh annual flag burning ceremony at Kiwanis Park. Click to play
Photo
Don Schaffner, left, and Phil Selgren, members of the Golden K Kiwanis Club, add flags to the fire during Thursday’s flag burning ceremony at Kiwanis Park in Janesville. The club burned nearly 600 flags.
JANESVILLE — Plumes of black smoke and shimmering heat waves marked the dignified end to hundreds of retired American flags Thursday morning.
Members of Janesville’s Blackhawk Golden “K” Kiwanis Club hosted the seventh annual flag burning ceremony at Kiwanis Park on Pontiac and Harmony drives.
Everybody in the crowd of 50 who wanted had a chance to carefully lower a flag into one of two burn barrels. With 576 flags to burn, there was no shortage.
The flags waited in a neat pile, folded into ceremonial triangles. It took Boy Scout Troop 540 two Saturdays to fold the flags, Kiwanis Patriotism Committee Chairman David Soderberg said.
Some flags were heavy and looked like they were made of canvas. Other nylon flags were thinner and more worn. Someone threw in a handful of small, decorative flags.
It took only three weeks to collect the enormous pile of flags, Soderberg said.
Normally, the group collects 120 flags for the ceremony.
It helped that the club has a beautiful, new flag collection box in the parking lot of Kiwanis Park, Soderberg said. Parker High School graduate Ashley Rutter painted a used mailbox with an American eagle theme.
Thursday morning, Kiwanians installed a plaque under the box and dedicated it to former member Marvin Roth.
Roth worked to have a garden installed in Kiwanis Park and pushed for the flagpole and the pavilion as well, Soderberg said.
“You couldn’t say ‘no’ to Marv,” Kiwanian Bob Johnson, Janesville, said.
Roth died in July 2003, his wife, Betty Roth, said. Smiling and cheerful in a bright pink sweater, Betty donned big leather gloves, and—with a little help—lowered a flag into one of the barrels.
Marvin served as a U.S. Army engineer in Europe in World War II, Betty said. He helped found the flag ceremony seven years ago, she said.
“He would be so happy to see this,” Betty said.
Soderberg was like a kid in a candy store as he moved the ceremony along. He pointed to the crowd at the ceremony, the children playing in the park and the Boy Scouts.
“This is honest to gosh togetherness,” Soderberg said.
Jun 14, 2008 at 2:52 p.m.
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Yes burning the flag sounds so indecent, I think we should clean them the sew them all together and cover up that hell hole called iraq
Jun 14, 2008 at 9:03 a.m.
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Great effort on the part of the Blackhawk Golden “K” Kiwanis Club, but I think it would help the understanding of the story if the code for disposal was mentioned as well. If one were to only glance at the headline, it could cause a terrible misunderstanding of a very nobel effort.
Jun 14, 2008 at 12:01 a.m.
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I agree with jsutsaynotomath. Why are we burning the American Flag?
Jun 13, 2008 at 10:31 p.m.
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To be sure, the flag code says flags should be DISPOSED of in a dignified manner, "preferably by burning". It isn't a requirement. I find it unlikely that more than 15-20% of the flags out there get ceremonially burned. Putting it in its own trash container so it doesn't blow about the landfill, for instance, is probably minimally sufficient. What's good about this program is that it makes proper and dignified disposal easy. Thanks, Kiwanis!
Jun 13, 2008 at 10:19 p.m.
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I think they should use something other than an old garbage can to burn these flags in. Can we not afford a nice new wooden ceremonial pine box and place the flags in that and burn it, and then spread the ashes out over this great land somewhere just a thought.
Jun 13, 2008 at 8:20 p.m.
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The flag deposit box should be advertised often in the Gazette.
Jun 13, 2008 at 2:50 p.m.
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I would like to be burned too when I'm worn out.
I'm surprised environmentalist weren't on hand to complain about the "black smoke".
I think we should all burn flags on July 4th as a symbol of the personal freedoms this country supports. It would also make people in other countries think twice before burning it in anger.
Jun 13, 2008 at 11:23 a.m.
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very well said evansvillehousewife!!
Jun 13, 2008 at 10:37 a.m.
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Just say no, what's your suggestion? Throwing a flag in the landfill is symbolically degrading. Burying it under the dirt is just as bad. It says in the flag code in the Boy Scout manual that a torn or worn flag should be burned in a DIGNIFIED manner. Flying a torn flag also show disrespect to the flag, it's neglect.
These are long standing patriots doing a civic duty. They should be treated with respect, not mocked.
Jun 13, 2008 at 10:35 a.m.
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justsaynotomath: This is the only PROPER way to dispose of a worn or torn American Flag.
Jun 13, 2008 at 9:58 a.m.
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burning flags ? does this sound wrong to anyone but me ? when America is worn out and beat up should we burn it too ? people are strange.
Jun 13, 2008 at 9:39 a.m.
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I dropped an old worn out flag into the collection box. Thank you so much Kiwanis Club for disposing of my flag in the proper way.
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