A flag-burning ceremony ended the annual Ottawa Elks Lodge Flag Day ceremony at Washington Square Park. The annual ceremony opened up again Wednesday evening with a presentation of the different flags of the United States and what they historically represent. Former Ottawa Mayor Bob Eschbach did the presentation this year. Local Boy Scouts presented flags flown during the Battle of Bunker Hill to the modern US Flag. Ottawa American Legion Chaplain Mike Harden was one of the leaders of the flag retirement ceremony. He says burning US Flags that are faded, tattered, and torn is the Legion’s way of showing respect.
Two flags were burned during the ceremony. The Elks and American Legion did both ceremonies in the evening this year to bring in more people.
The history of these flags was told during the Ottawa Elks Lodges’ annual Flag Day ceremony.