This flag retirement box located at the Falls Post #664/Mendon Community Center on North Main Street in Honeoye Falls was dedicated in 2022 by then Town of Mendon Supervisor John Moffitt and members of the American Legion Falls Post 664. Photo submitted by Boy Scout Troop 10
Every flag reaches the end of its service. Sun fades the stripes, wind frays the fly end, and one day the flag on your porch is no longer the emblem it was. The U.S. Flag Code is clear about what to do next, and doing it well takes less effort than most people expect.
What the Flag Code says: Section 8(k) of the United States Flag Code says it in a single sentence: “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.”
Two words in that sentence carry the weight. “Dignified” means the retirement is treated as a ceremony, not a chore. “Preferably” acknowledges that burning is the tradition, not the only acceptable method. A flag retired with care and respect has been retired correctly.
A flag retirement box is available in the parking lot of Falls Post #664/Mendon Community Center at 167 North Main Street in Honeoye Falls. Place worn flags in the box for ceremonial disposal by Post 664. Special thanks to Ben Houle, who created it as his 2022 Eagle Scout project.
