Photos by Jordan Schaeffer
By JONATHAN ZWEYGARDT
Hays Post
Local service organizations are reminding people of the etiquette surrounding the American flag and helping spread patriotism by handing out small flags at the upcoming homecoming parades in Hays.
The American Legion Riders Post 173 of Hays and the Boy Scouts Troop 131 and Cub Scout Pack 133 partnered to hand out flags during the TMP-Marian homecoming parade Friday and the upcoming Hays High and Fort Hays State University homecoming parades in Hays.
Friday was be the second time the groups handed out the American flags with cards attached explaining what to do when the American flag is presented.
Legion Rider member Amanda Legleiter said the group handed out nearly 900 flags at the Fourth of July Wild West Festival parade.
Legleiter said she noticed many times when the American flag was presented, people did not stand and honor the flag and, during parades when the riders went by with American flags on their motorcycles, people treated it like another float. So they decided to take up the project in an effort to educate and remind people of flag etiquette.
“Honestly, I just think people have gotten out of the importance of it and people just really don’t know,” Legleiter said.
According to the information presented by the group, people are encouraged to stand and stand tall during the national anthem and when the flag is presented. Cross your hand over your heart and remove your head covering. They also encourage people to give a moment to the veterans, service men and women and their families who have risked everything, to educate the young people to the meaning of the flag and to spread patriotism.
“This is just a simple thing, the standing, the taking your hat off, putting your hand over heart,” Legleiter said. “It’s just a simple form of what it stands for.”
The first time the group handed out the flags, at the Wild West Fest parade, it was well received, according to Legleiter, and she said they noticed a visible difference from the previous year with the number of people honoring the flag.
Legleiter and her husband, Bryan, an Army veteran, are members of the American Legion Riders, and she said she has adopted his “honor and dedication to the flag.”
The riders wanted to hand out the flags during parades in the past, but were unable to while riding their motorcycles, so the Boys Scouts and Cub Scouts have jumped in to help with the project.
“Our respect and honor for the flag is parallel,” said Legleiter. “We thought that would be a great patriotism project from them as well, and they’ve really embraced it.”
At Friday’s TMP parade, the honor guard led the floats down Main Street followed by the Boy Scouts holding banners asking people to stand and honor the flag. Then American Legion Riders, with their American flags in tow, followed them with the Cub Scouts handing out the flags along the way.
Legleiter said this is also a good way to educate people and children who might not know what they are supposed to do when the flag is presented.
“The stuff that is going on in the news where they’re stomping and they’re burning (the flag) and the disrespect of the national anthem, I think we need to get back to the basics back to what this stands for,” Legleiter said. “It is patriotism and, if we continue to be an example for our kids, maybe we’ll alleviate some of that, using the flag as a protest vehicle.”