Boy Scouts folding a worn American flag. Submitted photo

On Saturday, June 6, local Boy Scouts, Prince William County Solid Waste Division and Keep Prince William Beautiful will celebrate the grand opening of another American Flag Collection Center in Prince William County. The Balls Ford Road Yard Waste Compost Facility, located at 13000 Balls Ford Road in Manassas, has a flag collection service that will be available for citizens and businesses to retire American flags with respect.

The Balls Ford Road collection site will be operated by The Bull Run District Committee of the Boy Scouts. It is the second joint project between the Boy Scouts of American Occoquan and Bull Run Districts, Keep Prince William Beautiful and Prince William County Solid Waste Division.

The American Flag Collection Center located Balls Ford Road facility will be equipped with a bin, built by scouts of the Bull Run District, to collect the flags.

Scouts will be present the 4th Saturdays of each month from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. to personally demonstrate proper folding techniques and will be happy to personally collect and fold a citizen’s flag for them. Additionally, the bin will be available during normal operating hours for citizens to place folded flags during unstaffed times.

The flag collection center at the County Landfill is also open during the facility’s
normal operating hours and scouts of the Occoquan District staff the center the second and fourth Saturdays of each month from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m.

The flag collection program aims to provide a service where citizens and businesses can bring their torn, faded, worn and old American Flags. All flags received at the collection center will be picked up on a regular basis by local Boy Scout troops and will be distributed among the troops and local civic
organizations such as the VFW and American Legion to be retired in their regularly scheduled Flag Retirement Ceremonies.  All flags will be retired during a solemn, dignified ceremony.  In accordance with the United States Flag Code, all appropriate flags will be burned during the ceremony in a manner consistent with the traditions of the responsible organization.

American flags made of nylon are not appropriate for burning. These flags may be recycled to prevent the release of toxic fumes that result from proper burning. Other flags may be accepted and will be recycled or retired in an appropriate manner.

By: NOVA Fortnightly Staff

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