ALTON, Ill. – In recognition of Flag Day on Saturday, June 14, State Rep. Dan Beiser, D-Alton, is offering tips about how to properly care for flags and reminding residents how to respectfully care for and dispose of flags.
“For many Americans, our country’s flag symbolizes something much larger than a simple piece of cloth,” Beiser said. “It serves as a symbol of the sacrifices made by brave men and women to allow us to live freely. The least we can do to repay this debt is to assure our flags, and all they stand for, are treated with dignity and respect.”
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The United States Flag Code, enacted in 1942, specifies the proper procedure for handling and displaying of the flag, which includes:
- The flag should never be displayed upside down, except as a signal of dire distress in
instances of extreme danger to life or property. - The flag should never touch anything beneath it, such as the ground, the floor, water or merchandise.
- The flag should never be used as wearing apparel, bedding or drapery.
- The flag should never be fastened, displayed, used or stored in such a manner as to permit it to be easily torn, soiled or damaged in any way.
- The flag should never be used for advertising purposes in any manner whatsoever.
- 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.
Residents who would like to properly dispose of a flag may drop it off at the following locations:
- Alton VFW, located at 4445 N. Alby St in Alton, has a red, white, and blue box where flags may be deposited 24 hours a day.
- Bethalto American Legion, located at 109 S Prairie St in Bethalto, opens at 12 p.m. Tuesday through Sunday and is closed on Monday.
- South Roxana American Legion, located at 417 Sinclair Ave. in South Roxana, opens at 11 a.m. during the week and 12 p.m. on the weekend.
- Wood River VFW, located at 231 E Edwardsville Rd in Wood River opens at 10 a.m. Monday through Saturday and 12 p.m. on Sunday.
Beiser’s constituent service office may be reached at 618-465-5900.
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