Not sure about flag disposal? Local car club has now made it easier
Published 7:27 am Monday, July 9, 2018
- The flag disposal box was presented to the American Legion on July 3, with both Legion and River Rat Car Club members present, from left, back, Ron Oman, Kirk Olsen, Mike Haag, Joe Smille, Roe Naylor, Isaac Kubicek, Mike Lockie, Rhonda DeVries, Tom Kubicek, Beth Bluhm, Stan Iverson, Mike Huffman, John DeVries and Gary Harrison; kneeling, from left, Zach Naylor and Lee Dority. Photo by Deb Nicklay/newsroom@austindailyherald.com
For those of you who aren’t sure how or when to dispose of your American flags, the process just got a whole lot easier, thanks to the River Rats Car Club of Austin.
Flag disposal boxes, created by the car club, have been placed at both the Austin American Legion and the Austin VFW.
The idea surfaced last year when club members were discussing use of additional funds raised during projects.
“Stan Iverson had seen these elsewhere and we decided we should make them,” said Rhonda Devries who, with her husband John, are members of the club.
“A lot of people just don’t know what to do with their flags” once they are too faded or torn.
“We wanted to give people easy access” to disposal, she added.
The flag disposal box was presented to the Austin VFW on July 3, with both VFW and River Rat Car Club members present, from left, Stan Iverson, Rhonda DeVries, Mike Lockie, Becky Bluhm, River Rats Car Club President John DeVries, Gary Harrison, Mike Huffman, Tom Kubicek and Isaac Kubicek. Photo by Deb Nicklay/newsroom@austindailyherald.com
Club members got to work. John Devries, a local metalworker, offered his talents, as did Extreme Powder Coating of Blooming Prairie, and John Nystrom, who did the vinyl lettering.
The metal boxes, painted red, white and blue, stand about four feet tall and are marked with “Deposit Flag,” and “Flags Only” notations, as well as an American flag.
Then, at some point, the organizations – who are qualified to dispose of the flags properly – can gather up the deposited flags and dispose of them. Most use a prescribed ceremony for burning flags.
The disposal boxes were delivered to the organizations on July 3.