Bolinsky Attends Newtown VFW Flag Ceremony

NEWTOWN- Over the last month, State Rep. Mitch Bolinsky along with rest of the Newtown Delegation sponsored a battered, tattered, torn or faded U.S. Flag collection which culminated this Friday, June 14 on National Flag Day, where the Veterans of Foreign Wars (VFW) Post 308 held a flag burning ceremony to retire the collected flags.

Newtown Boy Scout Troop 370 assisted with the collection and helped disassemble the flags, in preparation for retirement. At that time, the flag is saluted one last time.  The ceremony was be a respectful, private occasion held at the post, on Tinkerfield Road.

According to United States Code, Title 4, Chapter 1, Section 8, “The flag, when it is in such condition that it is no longer a fitting emblem for display, should be destroyed in a dignified way, preferably by burning.”

“It was an honor to have had the opportunity to stand with Newtown veterans, the Scouts and friends on this Flag Day, which was made that much more significant locally by falling on the six-month anniversary of our community’s tragedy on 12/14.  I thank the VFW for allowing me to share in this uniquely patriotic experience,” said Rep. Bolinsky after the ceremony and on his way to join Newtown’s clergy at their interfaith vigil to mark the somber anniversary and the healing path forward.

Flag Day, the anniversary of the Flag Resolution of 1777, was officially established by the Proclamation of President Woodrow Wilson on May 30, 1916. While Flag Day was celebrated in various communities for years after Wilson’s proclamation, it was not until August 3rd, 1949, that President Truman signed an Act of Congress designating June 14 of each year as National Flag Day.