A fitting farewell: Scout troop lays tattered flags to rest

MOSES LAKE — Chance Morris and his fellow Boy Scouts of America in Troop 777 faced something of a dilemma.

“One day, we were retiring an old flag, and the way we were doing it then is we were cutting it up and then throwing it away,” Chance said. “But after we cut out the field of blue, then it’s no longer considered an American flag.”

Still, it didn’t feel right, the 15-year-old Life Scout added. There had to be another way.

“We have 12 scouts in our troop, and they all thought that’s not very respectful,” said Chance’s father and Scoutmaster, Justin Morris.

U.S. law governing the display and use of the American flag is quite clear on the matter — “The flag, when it is in such condition that it is no longer a fitting emblem for display, should be destroyed in a dignified way, preferably by burning.”

Chance said the Scouts decided the best way to deal with flags that have become too old, tattered and decrepit was to bury them, preferably in a permanent place, where they can be honored one last time.

It’s even become Chance’s Eagle Scout project. Justin contacted family friend Susan Freeman, the owner and operator of Pioneer Memorial Gardens, at 14403 Road 2 NE, east of Moses Lake, while the Scouts of Troop 777 have raised more than $1,000 for a tombstone to mark the place where they hope to start properly burning and burying American flags in late summer.

“We’re getting a plot out here, by this flagpole, and we’re setting up a tombstone at the plot. It’s an area where we can bury all the flags that we retire,” Chance said as he stood out by the main flagpole at Pioneer Memorial Gardens Friday.

Chance said any flag they receive will be unfolded, presented for one last time, and then properly folded, lowered into a fire, and then the ashes will be buried.

“I have quite a few flags that I have in my custody, and there are always a few that need to be retired,” Freeman said. “It’s nice to have somebody doing that.”

So far, Justin said, even before they have the plot or the stone to mark the place, they’ve received 12 flags, with Freeman holding another four or five in need of retiring. If all works out, Chance said they will be able to start having regular, monthly flag retirement ceremonies in early August.

“We’re trying to get the word out to the rest of the community, so we can get those flags and then retire them out here,” Chance said.

Justin said what is unique about this Eagle Project is that it creates something ongoing and lasting and will require continued community involvement to keep going.

“Usually, it’s something pretty simple that doesn’t take a lot of time, like bike racks,” Justin said.

But Justin said two of the members of the local board that approves Eagle Scout projects said their projects, done several decades ago for the Moses Lake School District, are long gone, swept away by repairs and modifications and other changes over the years.

“But this is going to be in this place until the world ends,” Justin added. “It’s something the entire community can get involved in. This is not a one-time thing, I’m done with my Eagle Scout project and can move on with my life.”

In fact, when they are up and running, Justin said the public can watch and even participate in the flag retirement ceremonies, which the troop hopes to hold every month.

For more information, or to donate, contact Justin Morris at cmatroop777@gmail.com or 509-760-9615.

Charles H. Featherstone can be reached at cfeatherstone@columbiabasinherald.com.