As sixth-grader Kayleigh Webb stood on the grounds of Pleasant Grove Methodist Church during an American flag retirement ceremony on Sept. 9, she was proud.
“It’s important to not disrespect the flag,” Webb said. “You can’t just throw an American flag away in the trash if it’s tattered or worn, or if it fell on the ground. You have to do it the respectful way.”
Webb was one of 12 student members of Whitfield County’s Girl Scouts Troop 14660 who participated in the ceremony, which involved folding each flag in a triangular “coffin fold,” reciting the Pledge of Allegiance, reading a patriotic poem and observing a moment of silence once each flag was properly disposed of.
According to the U.S. Department of Defense, the proper way to respectfully dispose of a flag is by burning it in a “dignified way.” As it is burning, participants are advised to salute the flag and recite the Pledge of Allegiance or observe a moment of silence.
Webb, who has been a member of Troop 14660 for two years, said she joined the Girl Scouts because she “wanted to make the world a better place.”
“I feel good knowing that I’m honoring people who have served our country and helping those in need,” she said.
Sixth-grader Isabella Wakefield, who has been a member of the troop for six years, said she joined the Girl Scouts for two reasons.
“One part of it is that it looked really fun,” she said. “And the second part was that I wanted to be a part of the community and to help people with whatever they need, and to help the community however I can.”
She said she understood the responsibility each troop member had in retiring unserviceable flags during the ceremony.
“We discussed why we were doing what we were doing,” she said. “The American flag isn’t just a piece of cloth. It represents our country.”
As part of the ceremony, she said each member helped form a line and retired several American flags, as well as a few well-worn Christian flags from the church, by burning them in an outdoor fire pit.
“It was important to me because I respect the American flag,” Wakefield said. “It’s a symbol for everybody that lives in this country and it represents the people that went to war and died for us.”
Wakefield’s mother, Troop 14660 Cadette Leader Mary Beth Wakefield, said the ceremony marked the troop’s first time retiring flags.
“All of the girls were very respectful,” Mary Beth Wakefield said. “We made sure they knew that this was not just something that happens all of the time, that it’s very respectable and an honor to be a part of a flag retirement ceremony.”
While 12 troop members took part in the ceremony, she said Troop 14660 has approximately 20 members year-round.
“We do different things throughout the year,” she said. “Most of it is centered around helping the girls in our community, but in outreach we’ve done a sock and underwear drive for local women’s shelters and helped the Samaritan’s Purse with donation boxes around Christmastime.”
She said the troop members have worked regularly with the Whitfield County Animal Shelter and the Grace and Joy House, which helps provide care, clean clothes and fresh meals to children as they prepare for placement in foster care.
She said Troop 14660 is made up of a “diverse range” of members.
“We have city and county schools represented in Whitfield County,” she said. “We range from our daisies, which are the kindergartners, to ambassadors, which are the high school-aged girls. It’s great because the older girls can help the younger girls with certain things and show them that they can still be involved as they get older.”
She said each troop member does a great job of “diving in” and finding places in the community that need help each year.
“The flag retirement ceremony was just another way that they reached out to friends, family and other places that they’re involved in,” she said. “They do a wonderful job throughout the year reaching out and getting involved.”
Webb said her time in Troop 14660 has been “really fulfilling” and “enjoyable.”
“We go out and we find different ways to help the community, then we try to do as best we can to make it happen,” she said. “Whatever we can do to help make lives easier.”
Isabella Wakefield said being able to give the community “what they need” is what “stands out the most,” whether it’s helping retire tattered flags or building playground equipment for dogs at the Whitfield County Animal Shelter.
“It’s really a passion for me,” she said. “I love being able to know I’m making a difference in the community.”