FOR RELEASE – Friday, February 12, 2009

By Charles Kopcho, Scoutmaster Troop 57 which is jointly sponsored by Union Evangelical Lutheran
Congregation of Schnecksville and Union United Church of Christ of Neffs – contact at 610-261-2401

Boy Scout Troop 57 to Hold Annual Flag Retirement Ceremony,
Will Take Your Tattered and Discarded American Flags

Boy Scout Troop 57, jointly sponsored by Union Evangelical Lutheran Congregation of Schnecksville and Union United Church of Christ of Neffs, will hold their 3rd Annual Flag Retirement Ceremony at 7:00 on Tuesday, June 8th at the Schnecksville Fire Company grounds, site of their special ceremonial incinerator. The second phase of this ceremony, “Ashes to Graves” will be held on Tuesday, June 15th at which time the sifted flag ashes will be returned to the graves of Veterans in cemeteries from Jordan UCC and Lutheran to Morganland Church to the Northern Lehigh area.

Scoutmaster Charles Kopcho is asking residents to contact troop members to dispose of their worn and tattered American Flags or bring them to the retirement ceremony that evening. In addition to a yet to be announced special speaker, Scouts and Cubs will also participate in the program prior to the solemn march to properly destroy the discarded flags. The incinerator was the Eagle Scout project of Paul Schappell of Troop 57 who worked with 50 year Minsi Trails merit badge counselor Joe Zeller, former Mayor Emmaus and retired member of the Pennsylvania House of Representatives.

Zeller, recognizing that the majority of the retired flags were removed after flying in salute over the graves of our Veterans in the preservation of our precious freedom from the Revolutionary War to our current conflicts, proposed to Scoutmaster Kopcho that this symbolic event should be taken to another level of reverence. In agreement, Zeller and Kopcho worked with the scouts and sifted the incinerator ashes to be free of metal grommets and unburned debris in preparation to return the ashes to the graves of our worthy veterans. Troop 57 eagerly adopted the “Ashes to Graves” concept and a week after the 2009 Flag Retirement Ceremony troop members were shuttled by their leaders to seven cemeteries to follow through. Each Scout was given a cup of ashes and a spoon from which a spoonful of ashes was returned to the Veterans’ graves accompanied by a respectful salute to the fallen hero.

Zeller, a WWII and Korean Veteran, was so moved by the tribute which Troop 57 displayed toward the burning ceremony as well as the return of the ashes to the graves of our local heroes that he decided to fully embody veteran organizations on the local, state and national levels. His contact with the both the state and national headquarters of the Veterans of Foreign Wars and the American Legion confirmed they were not aware of any such “Ashes to Graves” program but all applauded the program and expressed interest in adopting this new concept as a National program, especially appropriate for this year’s kickoff of the 100th Anniversary of the Boy Scouts of America. Groundwork is now in progress for the annual Flag Retirement Ceremony as well as the “Ashes to Graves” salute. Zeller, Kopcho and Program Coordinator Peter Hermany met recently, along with Slatington’s former Commander of American Legion Post 16 and current District 14 Commander, Mark Queen.

Those interested in assisting with these programs can contact Scout Master Charles Kopcho at 610-261-2401 or Coordinator Peter Hermany at 610- 266-6788.