Flag Retirement Ceremony Held At Oak Point

11-26-2016

By Bob Lessard, Commander Middleboro Veterans Council and Legion Post 64

........Over 100 persons attended the 2016 American Flag Retirement Ceremony held on Saturday,November 26 in the Oak Point ballroom, which was hosted by the Oak Point Veterans Association.

........Prior to the ceremony, two members of the Plymouth County Sheriff’s Department, K-9 Officers Dennis Desroches and Scott Sawler, presented their canine partners to the audience. Both officers put their K-9s through their paces and explained and displayed their crime fighting abilities. A question and answer period was well received by the audience.

........Master of Ceremonies Ron D’Agostino opened the ceremony by asking the audience to stand while the Oak Point Honor Guard marched into the ballroom to post the colors. Alissa Musto, Miss Massachusetts, a graduate of Harvard University, sang the “National Anthem.” The Pledge of Allegiance was then led by Mr. D’Agostino.

........ A flag folding ceremony was demonstrated with Paul Krietzberg reading the history of the flag and the intricacies of the 13 folds of the final triangular shape. Folding the flag were Ed Beaulieu and Daniel McDevitt.
Miss South Shore Miss Samantha McGraw, a student at Bridgewater State University, was introduced to the audience. She sang a rendition of “God Bless America.”
She was followed by Mr. D’Agostino who offered a special thanks to Muckey’s Liquor of Lakeville for providing refreshments and red, white and blue table decorations. Volunteers were also thanked for their assistance.

........ Alissa Musto, Miss Massachusetts, returned to sing “God Bless America.”

......... Mr. D’Agostino next introduced Colonel Frank Curtis, a recently retired 32 year Army Reserve veteran to the podium. A highly decorated officer, Colonel Curtis gave an inspirational speech about the dedication of our veterans, military members and their families.

........The Oak Point Honor Guard returned to retrieve the colors. As they performed this duty, Bob Burke offered Taps by bugle with Wayne Packard playing the echo. The Middleboro Veterans Honor Guard firing squad then fired a rifle salute.

....... Members of the firing squad, led by Billy Franks, were Brian Reynolds, Bruce Wright, Bob Lessard, Mary Standish, Richard Washburn, Russ Pittsley and Walter Campbell, Jr. All firing squad participants are member of Simeon L. Nickerson Post 64 American Legion.

........The audience was then asked to participate in the Flag Retirement. A table covered with hundreds of old flags was manned by Miss Massachusetts, Miss Middleboro, Miss Inspirational and Miss South Shore. They distributed the flags to participants, who brought the flags out to the fire barrels for proper flag retirement.

.........Manning the fire barrels were Ron Dawson, John Doyle, Don Perkins, Mike Palmer, Jerry Ellis and Mike Sweeney.