The Franklin Elks Lodge #110 marked Flag Day in a similar manner that they have for the last 100 years - a ceremony celebrating old glory and living a history of the many variations over the years.
| The event in Bandstand Park drew a meager crowd, but maintained its regal ambience. Several members of the lodge participated in the ceremony. Gary Leyda, a 30-year veteran of the U.S. Navy, was presented a flag by the V.E.T.S. Honor Guard. Madalyn King of Gardinier-Warren Funeral Home read a poem. |  |
The Franklin Silver Cornet Band provided patriotic music. A certificate of appreciation was presented to John Flick and the V.E.T.S. group. The Boy Scouts were not present this year to retire flags. The Franklin chapter of scouts disbanded last year. Elk member John Phillips said after the ceremony that they'll have to look into alternative solutions for flag retirement.
The Franklin Elks Lodge held its first Flag Day ceremony in 1923 and has held one every year since. Flag Day became a national observance in 1949, when then-President Harry S. Truman, an Elk member, proclaimed June 14 as its official date.
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Oil City held its annual flag retirement ceremony. According to scout leader Paul Myers that event was also not heavily attended.He said other than the scouts only about 10 to 15 people attended. The scouts did retire several hundred flags at their ceremony.
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