American Legion Post 5 holds flag retirement ceremony

Emporians got an opportunity to see the proper way to retire an American flag Wednesday evening.

The event took place at the American Legion Post 5 and was a part of Emporia’s Flag Day activities.

Emporia Post 5 Vice Commander Ed Rathke says when a flag is ready to be retired, it needs to have the proper celebration.

Flag Day honors the federal government’s adoption of the first official American flag, which occurred on June 14, 1777.

This was the second consecutive year that Post 5 did a flag retirement ceremony even after the post did it yearly over 15 years ago.

Rathke hopes with more and more people learning more about the history of the American flag, it’ll intrigue them to come to next year’s festivities.

The Emporia Lions Club was supposed to have its celebration at the Road S bridge across I-35 but was canceled due to weather.