The public is invited to attend a Flag Day ceremony with a history of the U.S. flag at 11 a.m. June 14 on the patio of Seymour Elks Lodge 462, 117 E. Second St., Seymour.
The lodge has organized the ceremony for many years, and patriotism has characterized the Benevolent and Protective Order of Elks since the early days of the organization, according to a news release from Exalted Ruler Mark Hancock.
Allegiance to the flag of our country is a requirement of every member, he said.
In 1907, the BPO Elks Grand Lodge designated by resolution June 14 as Flag Day. The Grand Lodge of the Order adopted mandatory observance of the occasion by every lodge in 1911, a requirement that continues to this day.
The Elks prompted President Woodrow Wilson to recognize the order’s observance of Flag Day for its patriotic expression, but it was not until 1949 when President Harry Truman, himself a member of the Elks, made the proclamation that thereafter, June 14 would be a day of national observance for the symbol of our country.
