Cycles N Rodz respects American flag

Submitted photo SOLEMN DUTY: Cub Scout Hank York folds the flag for the first time during the Flag Day ceremony at Cycles N Rodz.
Submitted photo SOLEMN DUTY: Cub Scout Hank York folds the flag for the first time during the Flag Day ceremony at Cycles N Rodz.

Cycles N Rodz recently held an actual Flag Day Ceremony performed by the Boy Scouts and Girl Scouts of Hot Springs. Local Assistant Scout Masters Larry Neiman and Don Arnedt performed the opening and closing ceremonies, along with the younger Scouts to help with the handling of the flags.

Flag Day is celebrated on June 14 and back in the late 1800s, the day was originally celebrated in school yards with children holding miniature flags and singing patriotic songs. It has grown in to huge events, parades and memorial rides celebrating the flag and the men and women who have fought to protect the flag and give us the freedoms we have today.

The day began with a memorial ride to pick up the torn and tattered flags. The drop-off points were at several fire department locations around town, as well as the American Legion. The ride ended at Cycles N Rodz at around 2:30 p.m., which began the actual ceremony.

Cycles N Rodz' general manager, Phil Dowden, introduced the guests in attendance, which included Garland County Judge Rick Davis, state Rep. Bruce Cozart, state Sen. Alan Clark and the special guest speaker was Maj. Gen. Tom Arwood and his wife, Peggy.

The ceremony lasted around an hour and concluded with the retiring of the first flag, which had to literally burn out before the ceremony was officially over. The ashes of the retired flag were then buried below the flags flying behind Cycles N Rodz.

"If you've never been to a flag ceremony such as this, I would encourage you to do so. It was such an honor to watch the Scouts in action, including a young Cub Scout and Brownie, folded an American flag for the first time," said Dowden in the release. Den mother's Sarah Neal and Betsy Uldrich brought several of their Scouts to attend the flag ceremony and they actually played a big part.

"A big thanks to all the attendees and especially to Maj. Gen. Tom Arwood and to the Scouts who made this ceremony possible," concluded Dowden.

Cycles N Rodz plans on making this an annual event and hopes that the Hot Springs community will plan to attend and bring their torn and tattered flags.

Business on 06/29/2015

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