The public is invited to an open ceremony at the Jefferson Elks Lodge to signify a national holiday.

Jefferson Elks Lodge Past Exalted Ruler Bill Berger says they are hosting a ceremony in honor of Flag Day. He tells Raccoon Valley Radio the national organization mandated in 1911 that all Elks Lodges were to perform a Flag Day ceremony on June 14th. He points out the ceremony includes the history of each of the different flags the United States has had over the years, along with the Jefferson Does Drove #196 doing their part of the ceremony, and the Jefferson Veterans of Foreign Wars (VFW) and the Jefferson American Legion will participate.

Berger talks about his favorite part of this event.

“The thing I like about it the most is the fact that it’s our history, it’s ours. It doesn’t belong to the world but it’s been all over the world. It’s a flag that is recognized everywhere. It’s something that if you take it out of your pocket in Timbuktu they’re going to know it’s the United States of America Flag because it has been everywhere. Show me another flag that everybody will recognize. Because this one they will recognize and I’m proud of it.”    

The ceremony will be held tomorrow at 7pm at the Jefferson Elks Lodge. Berger adds there are 1,928 Elks Lodges that will do similar ceremonies across the country tomorrow.