Where to dispose of worn American flags in Southern Nevada
Federal law bans the desecration of American flags, leaving many confused what to do with torn, tattered or faded flags not suitable for flying.
Just ahead of Independence Day, members of the Daughters of the American Revolution, or DAR, Boulder City chapter, have installed a flag retirement bin at the Paseo Verde Library, 280 S. Green Valley Parkway. Once a week, a representative of the group will pick up the disposed flags and deliver them to the Southern Nevada Veterans Memorial Cemetery.
“When I came and told her what I was installing, a woman who works here said she was moving and had two flags that were not of a quality that she wanted to share,” DAR member Donna Coleman said in an interview this month. “She didn’t know what to do with them, so she’s just been driving around with them for how many years. It’s not something you want to just toss in the trash.”
In the first 10 days, Coleman and fellow member Jan Butler picked up ten flags. The cemetery keeps the flags until May 2024, when they are expected to host their 31st annual Unserviceable Flag Retirement Ceremony, which involves burning the flags.
“I didn’t know this was a service,” library Manager Lisa Phelan said after the bin was installed. “We have so many veterans that come to the library, so many people who have served in the military or the families of service people. So many people said, ‘oh I have flags at my home and this is so convenient.’”
The DAR women installed a bin at the Boulder City Library in 2016. Additionally, all American Legions and a few VFW posts in the valley have flag retirement bins.
Contact Sabrina Schnur at sschnur@reviewjournal.com or 702-383-0278. Follow @sabrina_schnur on Twitter.
