Butler County Honors the Stars and Stripes on Flag Day

 

 

Story and Pictures by Beverly Bonilla

 

The Butler County community came together on June 14 to honor Flag Day with a special ceremony at the courthouse lawn.  Ann Bartholomew led off the program with a prayer for a renewed dedication to our flag and for the men who banned together many years ago to fight for our freedom. After the prayer Gail Gaddie, BCDAR Flag Chairman handed the microphone to Coleman Colter, Green River CAR (Children of the American Revolution) to say the Pledge to the U.S. Flag. Harley Chapman came to sing The National Anthem.  The speaker for the day was Steve Fuller, BCHS History Teacher/retired.  Mr. Fuller started off telling everyone about the history of the U.S. Flag.  On June 14, 1777, 248 years ago marked the official day the flag was adopted by the Continental Congress.  He stated that the flag was made from red and blue petticoats worn by the wives of officers.  The first flag flown was on August 3, 1777, at Fort Schuyler.  In 1847 the law was passed that the flag could not be taken into battle but that was appealed, and the flag was then allowed to be flown in the Civil War.  In 1912 the law specified how the stars and stripes would be put in order on the flag, and it stayed that way for 48 years.  Then in 1960 when more states were added, the flag had to be changed and now has flown this way for 65 years, which has been the longest in history.  Mr. Fuller closed with saying “I am proud to be an American and proud to honor the American Flag”.  Lynda O’Driscoll, BCDAR came to recognize Mike Hayes.  Mike was a former Butler County Soccer Coach and passed away 20 years ago in Iraq.  In 2002 after 911 Mike decided that he needed to serve his country and along with over 600 others signed up in Bowling Green.  After a short R&R he returned to duty and just 2 weeks later he was killed.  His brother and sister were also serving, and they were able to escort their brother back home.  Doug Olde a Veteran and long-life friend to so many in Butler County ended the program with the reading of “Ragged Ole Flag”.  Handing out the programs and bookmarks was 11 year old Owen Bonilla from Louisville who was here visiting his Mamaw for the weekend.

 

 

In the United States Declaration of Independence it states, we hold these truths to be self-evident, that all men are created equal, that they are endowed by the Creator with certain unalienable rights, that among those are Life, Liberty and the pursuit of Happiness.