For the Record – June 18, 2015
by Barbara Mastriania
Flag Day 2015 …
The day was warm and the sky was overcast with an occasional rain drop, but the heavy rain held off until the last song was sung, Charlie Barnum finished his patriotic address and Bucktail Detachment 856 Marine Corps League Commandant and Elk Lodge 334 Exalted Ruler Wayne Stoltz wrapped up the annual Renovo flag burning ceremony.
The flag burning ceremony was held Sunday afternoon at the Flaming Foliage Lot by the West Branch of the Susquehanna River. Participating in the patriotic ceremony were the Renovo Elks Lodge 334, Western Clinton County Veterans Council, Boy Scout Troop 137, Renovo Area Community Choir and Renovo’s First Responders.
The flag burning is a celebration of our country’s flag and the removal of unserviceable flags. Stoltz said the Fraternal Order of Elks mandates that all of its lodges throughout the United States hold the formal ceremony every year.
The Elk’s ceremony properly disposes of torn and damaged unserviceable American Flags by burning them.
The Elks and Western Clinton County Veterans Council have been holding the Flag Burning ceremonies on Flag Day for more than ten years. Renovo Boy Scout Troop 137 participates each year.
On Sunday Scouts paraded for officials and visitors with a parade of American Flags from the Revolutionary War era through today’s flag with 50 stars and 13 stripes.
The community choir sang a patriotic flag-related song for each flag as it was presented. Before the flags were set ablaze a representative from each Veteran’s organization – the Marine Corps League, The VFW and the American Legion – inspected the large pile of flags.
Elks members believe the holiday stands for American tradition .
Although Flag Day observances have been held on June 14 since 1885, June 14 was not officially designated as a national holiday by an Act of Congress until 1949. President Harry Truman designed June 14 as Flag Day on August 3, 1949.
However, Flag Day was officially established by the Proclamation of President Woodrow Wilson on May 30th, 1916.
Renovo Advocates to meet June 24 …
Renovo Advocates for a Drug Free Tomorrow will meet in Renovo next Wednesday, June 24 at 7 p.m. at Western Clinton County Recreation Center. This is third meeting in a movement to create dialog in the community about addiction and to let the community know addiction recovery programs are available. While recovery programs are in place often there is limited availability.
The Advocates for a Drug Free Tomorrow is a group of individuals, agency representatives, government leaders, social workers, religious leaders and people in recovery. They have played an increasing role in creating a forum for education, a clearinghouse for information, and a supporting cast for those in recovery from addiction throughout Clinton County.
Previous meetings in Renovo included a free showing of a movie in April and a town meeting on May 20. The meetings drew between 30 and 50 people, including educators and community leaders. The Advocates are hoping to continue the dialog and that more people will attend the meeting June 24.
The Cowboy and Angel …
Many Renovo bound motorists were surprised last Wednesday to see a cowboy riding a horse along Route 120 heading toward Renovo. Some saw him resting near St. Joseph’s Cemetery in Hyner. When he arrived just east of Renovo, he hankered down for the night at the Sportsman’s Hotel & Restaurant. The cowboy was Leslie Fender. Twelve years ago he owned and was operating a restaurant in Michigan when he suffered the stroke. He was paralyzed for six months before a new surgery devised by his doctor reversed the paralysis. The American Stroke Association paid for his surgery.
He is trying to repay the ASA in a sense, by raising one million dollars for stroke research and treatment. He doesn’t collect money himself, he urges people to donate directly to the American Stroke Association by going online for information. Fender has been on the road more than three years and helped raise over $800,000.
Who says lightening doesn’t strike twice?
Rumor has it and a published report said it’s true that lightening can and does strike twice. According to the report Jim Lamey of Mackeyvile has been struck by lightening twice and lived to tell about it.
I remember hearing a ranger give a talk at Shenendoah National Park on the Skyline Drive in Virginia years ago about a man who had been struck by lightening even more times.
