The long time tradition of planting American flags to honor all Veterans past and present continues as the Sherburne American Legion Auxiliary will be planting 406 flags on November 3, in front of the United Church of Christ located at 1 South Main Street, and along the memorial walk way to the Sherburne Public Library. (Photo by Frank Speziale)

SHERBURNE –For the fifth consecutive year, the Sherburne American Legion Auxiliary will raise American flags on November 3, in front of the United Church of Christ located at 1 South Main Street, and along the memorial walk way to the Sherburne Public Library.

Sherburne American Legion Auxiliary president Angela Jones said, “This year the Auxiliary will erect 406 flags in honor of veterans. They will be placed on November 3 and will stand for the two weeks surrounding Veterans Day on November 10; then taken down November 18.”

Jones said, “Each flag is dedicated to a veteran and will display their name, service branch and conflicts served. This is our way of honoring all past and present veterans.”

She said hanging the flags is a community effort with many people from the area helping out. A five foot rebar will be placed two feet into the ground then a piece of conduit goes over the rebar, and finally the flag pole goes up.

She said Steel Sales, Inc. supplied the rebar and the auxiliary purchased the poles and flags from Top Variety, a hardware store in Sherburne.

“We put the flags up and each flag has a sign on it of who the flag is for, and then we list the names in the Sherburne news,” said Jones. “The public is invited to attend the Veterans Day service at 11, on Saturday, November 11, located in front of the Library, and it consists of a 21 gun salute and local Boy Scouts will present colors.”

Jones said each flag was purchased by a family member or spouse of a veteran past and present, and each family is invited to keep their flag following November 18 or the auxiliary can store it.

She said she was inspired to erect flags dedicated to veterans as part of a fundraising project for the legion auxiliary after seeing a similar display in another village.

Sherburne American Legion Auxiliary Chaplain for Chenango County Elizabeth Howard Boise said, “Families can buy the first year flag at $45 and every year that we re-fly the flag, the cost is $20.”

The deadline date to purchase a flag is October 1. Flags must be purchased by this date in 2024 to be in next years display.

For further information about the Veterans Day service or the flags dedicated to local veterans, contact the Sherburne American Legion at (607) 674-4501.