AUGUSTA – The Maine Elks Association held its annual Flag Day service on June 14 at the Togus VA Medical Center. The service commemorated the 228th anniversary of the adoption of the “Stars and Stripes.”

More than 40 veterans and Elks members attended the event, which was held in the hospital’s chapel. The chapel was wired with a closed-circuit television system so that veterans throughout the facility could watch the service from their rooms.

The ceremony was opened by Past State President James Ferland of Sidney, who introduced current State President Elmer Berry of Greene.

Following Berry’s opening remarks, Past Exalted Ruler Nancy Hory of the Brunswick Elks Lodge led the group in the singing of the National Anthem. Introductory exercises were performed by the state officers, followed by a history of the American Flag presented by Past State President Claris Ranger of Wilton.

During the reading of the flag’s history, exalted rulers displayed replicas of the flags that were being described. Flags presented included the Pine Tree Flag of 1775, the Snake Flag of 1776-1777, a flag bearing the Red Cross of St. George and the White Cross of St. Andrew of 1775, the Grand Union Flag of 1777, the Fort McHenry Flag of 1812, the 20-star flag of 1818, the 48-star flag, and today’s 50-star flag.

Following the presentation, Berry gave a tribute to honor the American flag, followed by a response by Past State President Phil O’Brion of Jay. In his response, O’Brion paid tribute to the men and women who had fought to protect the nation’s flag – from the Revolutionary War to the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan.

Following the response, a reading was given by Sergeant-at-Arms Christopher Gendron of Auburn. Gendron read portions of a speech given by U.S. Sen. John McCain at the Republican National Convention in 1988.

McCain’s speech referenced a fellow prisoner of war, Mike Christian, who had created a makeshift American flag, and who had sewn it to the inside of his shirt. The shirt would be hung in the cell at meal time and the prisoners would recite the Pledge of Allegiance.

One day the North Vietnamese searched the cell and found the flag sewn inside the shirt. Christian was beaten severely, but upon his return to the cell, though badly injured, he had begun creating a new flag.

“He was not making that flag because it made Mike Christian feel better. He was making that flag because he knew how important it was for us to be able to pledge our allegiance to our flag and our country,” said McCain.

To remind those in attendance of the importance of the principals for which the flag stands, Gendron led everyone in a recitation of the Pledge of Allegiance.

Maine Elks Treasurer Roger Normandeau of Springvale read a piece called “I am Your Flag,” an essay depicting the flag’s point of view toward Americanism today. Berry closed the service, after which members of the association visited with veterans in the hospital, giving each one a small flag.

For more information on the Elks, visit www.elks.org, or for the Maine Elks Association, visit www.maineelks.org.