By Ben Baugh
It's an opportunity to pay respect to the symbol of our nation; there are two organizations within the community that are doing their best to make sure worn flags are disposed of appropriately.
Epsilon Sigma Alpha sorority's Gamma Omega chapter's Heroes for Hope program and George Funeral Home's Tattered Flag program have joined forces to make sure the flags are retired with honor.
"This is being done on behalf of our philanthropic society," said Sharon Smoot, of the Gamma Omega chapter. "Our main focus for the past four years has been St. Jude Children's Hospital. We were personally asked by Danny Thomas. We (Epsilon Sigma Alpha) are the largest not-for-profit donor to St. Jude's. We have raised more than $164 million. We are proud to be a part of such a philanthropic society."
The sorority, the Gamma Omega chapter composed of eight women from the Cedar Creek community, raised and collected the funds for their Hope for Heroes program, sending more than 100 boxes for women soldiers or specifically identified soldiers overseas.
The idea to create a program to dispose of the flags properly came to Smoot while she was walking in May 2011.
"I noticed some of the flags were tattered," said Smoot. "It was at a time of the year when Memorial Day, Flag Day and the Fourth of July are prevalent on the calendar. There are a lot of retired military in Cedar Creek. They're proud of their flags. It gave us the opportunity to dispose of the flags properly. The military aspect is close to the heart."
Last year, 54 flags were disposed of, and more than 100 flags have been disposed of in 2012, said Smoot.
The program has received a great deal of support not only in the CSRA, but from people in other communities, said Ray Visotski of George Funeral Home and Cremation Center. More than 2,500 flags have been collected through the efforts of the program since its inception in June 2010.
Many of the tattered flags are brought in by family members of veterans, whose wish is to have the flag disposed of appropriately, and in many cases they are cremated with a veteran, providing for a dignified disposition of the flag, and for the the veteran who served under the flag, said Visotski.
"People come in here more often than not with a story behind their flag," said Visotski. "In my 34-year funeral service career, I've never seen a program that's been so embraced by the community. It really makes you feel good about what you do."![]()
It's an opportunity to pay respect to the symbol of our nation; there are two organizations within the community that are doing their best to make sure worn flags are disposed of appropriately.
Epsilon Sigma Alpha sorority's Gamma Omega chapter's Heroes for Hope program and George Funeral Home's Tattered Flag program have joined forces to make sure the flags are retired with honor.
"This is being done on behalf of our philanthropic society," said Sharon Smoot, of the Gamma Omega chapter. "Our main focus for the past four years has been St. Jude Children's Hospital. We were personally asked by Danny Thomas. We (Epsilon Sigma Alpha) are the largest not-for-profit donor to St. Jude's. We have raised more than $164 million. We are proud to be a part of such a philanthropic society."
The sorority, the Gamma Omega chapter composed of eight women from the Cedar Creek community, raised and collected the funds for their Hope for Heroes program, sending more than 100 boxes for women soldiers or specifically identified soldiers overseas.
The idea to create a program to dispose of the flags properly came to Smoot while she was walking in May 2011.
"I noticed some of the flags were tattered," said Smoot. "It was at a time of the year when Memorial Day, Flag Day and the Fourth of July are prevalent on the calendar. There are a lot of retired military in Cedar Creek. They're proud of their flags. It gave us the opportunity to dispose of the flags properly. The military aspect is close to the heart."
Last year, 54 flags were disposed of, and more than 100 flags have been disposed of in 2012, said Smoot.
The program has received a great deal of support not only in the CSRA, but from people in other communities, said Ray Visotski of George Funeral Home and Cremation Center. More than 2,500 flags have been collected through the efforts of the program since its inception in June 2010.
Many of the tattered flags are brought in by family members of veterans, whose wish is to have the flag disposed of appropriately, and in many cases they are cremated with a veteran, providing for a dignified disposition of the flag, and for the the veteran who served under the flag, said Visotski.
"People come in here more often than not with a story behind their flag," said Visotski. "In my 34-year funeral service career, I've never seen a program that's been so embraced by the community. It really makes you feel good about what you do."
