Community members gathered in Diekroeger Park on Saturday morning as the Wright City Parks Department, Wright City Fire Protection District and Wright City Scout Troop 835 gathered to retire American flags that had finished their life of service. 

To dispose of American flags properly they must be folded in the traditional triangle, symbolizing the cocked hat worn by Revolutionary War soldiers, and burned in a ceremony. 

While Wright City holds the ceremony annually, this year there was a special guest serving as master of ceremonies. Caleb Reynolds led the proceedings that morning as part of his Eagle Scout project where he built a receptacle for citizens to leave flags to be disposed of. 

Reynolds presented the receptacle to the Wright City Board of Aldermen at their May 22 meeting. 

“As a scout, I was taught that the flag is a very powerful symbol of our country. It is the physical embodiment of everything our country stands for, of everything people fight for, of all the freedoms won and battles lost,” said Reynolds at the May 22 meeting. “It is something to be respected, and a part of that respect is proper disposal.”

During the meeting, Reynolds also thanked Aldermen Don Andrews and Ramiz Hakim for their help in the process, especially Hakim for his donation, which Reynolds said covered most of the costs of his project. 

Flags left in Reynold’s disposal at Wright City Hall were brought to Diekroeger Park that morning along with flags from around the area in need of replacement. 

Before they were laid to rest, a brief ceremony was held. 

Reynolds spoke about his motivations for building the receptacle as his Eagle Scout project and said he wanted to provide a service for his community. 

“Throughout all my years of service I’ve learned one really important lesson, and it’s that the most important thing anyone can do is to do something good for someone else with no expectation of reward,” said Reynolds. 

After Reynolds’ address, keynote speaker Gary Ruebling took the stage, and told attendees the story of Sergeant William Carney, a black Civil War veteran who received the medal of honor for his courageous efforts in the Battle of Fort Wagner in 1863. 

Carney was a member of the 54th Massachusetts Volunteer Infantry Regiment and during the Union’s assault on Fort Wagner in South Carolina, he bravely took the flag after his color guard was killed. 

Braving incoming fire and unrelenting assault, Carney continued to carry the flag even through his retreat where he was wounded by incoming fire. Ruebling told attendees that despite his injuries, Carney never let the flag touch the ground, and pointed to his story as a reminder of how important it is to honor those who serve this country. 

“Thank God for every free breath you take and ask protection for all those serving our country all over the world,” said Ruebling. 

Following his remarks, Wright City Scout Troop 835 and Troop Leader Isaac Ovchinikov spoke about the meaning of the flag, the stars and stripes. 

“As we retire the blue colors, let us ponder the future and what it holds,” said Ovchinikov. “I am no more than what you believe me to be, and I am all that you believe me to be. I am what you make me, and nothing more. As long as people cherish liberty more than life itself, I shall continue to be the enduring banner of the United States of America.”

Firefighters from the Wright City Fire Protection District lowered the flag at Diekroeger Park to be retired and raised a new one, then the scouts began the solemn task of laying the flags to rest in a fire pit at the park. 

“We commit these flags, worn out and worthy from service, to a clean and purging flame as they yield their substance to fire,” said Ovchinkov.