O'Hara to get flag disposal bin

An Old Glory American flag disposal bin is coming to O’Hara.

Not everyone knows how to properly and respectfully retire an unserviceable American flag, but scouts from Cub Pack 678 at Christ the Divine Teacher in Aspinwall are here to help.

The Etna American Legion Post 597 has partnered with Pack 678 to install the bin at the O’Hara Township Municipal Building at 1 p.m., May 14.

The public is invited to attend.

The scouts will do a monthly inventory and properly retire the disposed flags, said Eric Edmondston, den leader and American Legion officer.

“The bin is part of a community service project the scouts are offering to raise awareness about the protocol for retiring worn or damaged American flags,” Edmondston said.

The Old Glory bin is sponsored by the Etna American Legion and cost $500.

The bin will be permanently installed near the flagpole and will be available to the public year-round.

O’Hara Township Manager Julie Jakubec said township employees have collected wayward flags found around the township that will be disposed of via the new bin.

“We’re happy to partner with the scouts to ensure the flags that have gone beyond their useful lives are properly disposed of. We think that it’s very important and we’re happy to offer this service to our community,” Jakubec said.

Area residents are asked to simply drop their worn, torn or faded flag into the bin.

“It’s really about bringing awareness. I’m a veteran so I know what it’s all about—retiring a flag—but not a lot of people do,” Edmondston said.

Edmondston said the project is in conjunction with a national program, Retire Your Old Glory.

According to American flag etiquette, a flag should not touch anything beneath it, such as the ground or water. Adornments should not be added to the flag. It should never be worn as a costume, and it should be lowered daily, unless it’s hanging from a lighted pole.

Edmondston said scouts will check the bin each month and inventory its contents.

“We will burn the flags in a burn pit that meets the regulations for disposing of a flag,” Edmondston said.

The U.S. Flag Code says that when a flag is no longer fit for display, it should be destroyed in a dignified way, preferably by burning.

“I’m tremendously proud of the scouts to have this here and have this project. They’ll always be able to point to this project as something they did to benefit the community,” Edmondston said.

Edmondston said other area flag disposal bins are located in Cranberry , Washington County and Upper St. Clair.

For more information, visit retireyouroldglory.com.