That's my flag
Jun. 14—The red symbolizes hardiness and valor, the white symbolizes purity and innocence, and the blue symbolizes vigilance, perseverance and justice. Together, the colors within the Stars and Stripes represent liberty, justice and freedom.
June 14, the country observes Flag Day and a special ceremony was held at Athens State University's Sandridge Student Center Ballroom. The ceremony honored not only the United States flag but members of the nation's armed forces, both past and present.
Veterans in attendance were recognized and presented a challenge coin from the Alabama Veterans Museum and Archives as well as during the playing of each hymn of the military branches,
Chief James L. Chambers, director and senior Army instructor of the Athens High School Junior Reserve Officers' Training Corps (JROTC) program, served as guest speaker at Wednesday's ceremony. Chambers spoke about the feelings he felt while serving overseas upon seeing the US flag.
"The pride just comes over me and what I feel about being an American. That's happened so many times over my long career," he said.
He took the audience on an imaginary bus trip to places in the United States in which the US flag is flown 24 hours a day, including the Iwo Jima memorial to U.S. Marines in Arlington, Va., the Battleground in Lexington, Mass., where the first shots of the Revolutionary War were fired, and The Star-Spangled Banner Flag House in Baltimore, Md.
As the bus arrived at each location, the audience was instructed by Chambers to proclaim, "That's my flag!" The interactive game was a fun, historical, and educational journey especially for the young summer campers who attended the ceremony.
The cadets of the Athens High School JROTC program presented the Colors at the Flag Day Ceremony and music was provided by the Athens State Community band under the direction of Tim Clinton.
