DADE CITY, Fla. — As the United States prepares to celebrate its 250th birthday, members of the Daughters of the American Revolution in Pasco County are continuing their efforts to honor the American flag and educate the public about proper flag retirement.
Members of the chapter serving East Pasco County helped create a flag drop-off box outside Dade City Hall, where residents can leave worn or damaged American flags to be properly retired.
To become a member of the DAR, women must trace their lineage back to someone involved in America’s fight for independence.
“My particular patriot was a sea captain out of Philadelphia. He was captured by the British,” said Marie Wunderlich, a DAR member.
Wunderlich and fellow member Melanie Nelson said the organization has spent years working in the community with veterans, schools, and libraries.
Their latest effort focuses on proper respect for the American flag.
“I’ve been exposed to a lot of cultures. But when I came home, it was that feeling of pride. You look for that flag. You see that flag waving, and you knew this is home,” Wunderlich said.
Florida’s weather can quickly wear down flags, leaving them faded or tattered. The U.S. Flag Code outlines proper ways to dispose of damaged flags.
The DAR volunteers collect flags from the drop-off box and hold a public retirement ceremony once each year.
The flag code states cotton flags should be burned respectfully, with the ashes collected and buried or placed over a veteran’s grave.
“Giving it the respect it deserves and doing it in a public way so the public can view it,” Wunderlich said.
Synthetic flags, which typically last longer, can be buried or cut in a specific manner.
“If you cannot burn a flag, then you cut the blue field from the stripes, and as soon as that blue field is cut from the stripes, it is no longer an American flag,” Nelson said.
Last year, the DAR chapter retired more than 1,000 flags, and members expect even more to be collected through the new drop-off box.
For the women involved, the American flag symbolizes many of the values they believe define the country.
“It’s loyalty, it’s defense, it’s safety, it’s security, it’s patriotism, it’s community, it’s united,” Nelson said.
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