Dubois County invites residents to annual flag disposal ceremony

Worn, faded and torn flags do not belong in household trash, and Dubois County veterans are again offering a public, dignified way to retire them. The annual American Flag Disposal Ceremony will bring residents, scout groups, civic clubs, churches and businesses together at the Dubois County 4-H Fairgrounds, where unserviceable U.S., state, service and similar flags can be honored at the end of their display life.

The Dubois County Veterans Council is set to conduct the ceremony June 12 at 7 p.m., continuing a county tradition that has drawn wide participation from local veterans organizations. The event is open to the public and framed as a community observance, not a closed ceremony, giving families and groups a local place to bring flags that are no longer fit for display.

Dubois County also has a permanent option year-round: a flag retirement box at the courthouse near the main entrance in Jasper. The box was installed at no cost to the county through a partnership with the National Association of Counties, the National Flag Foundation and the National Sheriff's Association. Flags placed in the box should be folded respectfully, and the drop-off site is available during normal courthouse hours at One Courthouse Square.

The ceremony fits into Flag Day traditions that stretch back more than a century. President Woodrow Wilson officially established June 14 as Flag Day in 1916 to commemorate the adoption of the U.S. flag on June 14, 1777. The American Legion says communities across the country use the day to honor the flag and respectfully retire unserviceable flags collected throughout the year.

In Dubois County, the observance has become a visible civic ritual. Earlier ceremonies at the fairgrounds have included patriotic songs, the National Anthem, an honor guard and a 21-gun salute. The Dubois County Veterans Council has said all veterans organizations were represented at past gatherings, underscoring how broadly the ceremony is supported across the county’s veterans community.

The scale of the local need has been clear as well. A 2021 Dubois County report said more than 2,000 flags were properly disposed of during the annual event, a reminder that worn flags come from homes, schools, businesses and public groups across the county. The courthouse box now gives residents a year-round option, but the June ceremony remains the county’s most visible moment for retiring flags with ceremony, respect and shared purpose.