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Mayor Billy Barlow has announced the City of Oswego is partnering with Thank a Service Member to participate in the Community Retired U.S. Flag project.
Thank a Service Member, Inc., a not-for-profit organization based in Oswego has partnered with local organizations to provide a convenient way for the community to retire unserviceable flags. Thank a Service Member volunteers will collect these flags throughout the year and will bring them to local watchfire ceremonies which include a large fire and respectful flag burning. Modern day watchfires stem from a long military tradition where following a long battle, a large fire would be started so those missing or lost could locate and rejoin their comrades. Today these watchfires are held annually to commemorate service members who never returned from battle.
“The City of Oswego is proud to partner with Peter Allen and Thank a Service Member, Inc to place a collection box in the lobby of City Hall. This location will give the public easy access to a collection box and is a highly visible area to encourage our residents to retire the United State Flag properly,” said Mayor Billy Barlow. “The City of Oswego is proud offer a collection box to respect our flag, honor our military and support our Nation’s Veterans. Thank a Service Member, Inc is an excellent organization supporting our Veterans and I look forward to partnering with them on more initiatives in the future,” Barlow said.
“We greatly appreciate this partnership with Mayor Barlow and the City of Oswego,” said Thank a Service Member Founder and Board President Peter Allen. “Having one of our new flag retirement drop boxes in Oswego City Hall now provides the community with a convenient way to retire unserviceable flags.”
Other collection box locations include the branch offices of the Oswego County Federal Credit Union at the Oswego East Side, Fulton, and Mexico locations and the American Legion Post 587 in Fulton at 873 Oneida St.
