Severna Park Library Celebrates Flag Day With Troop 1983

Among the several patriotic holidays celebrated in the U.S., Flag Day is known as one of reflection on the iconic symbol that represents the country.

The holiday falls on the U.S. Army’s birthday, June 14, and honors the flag adopted to represent our nation since 1777. Though that flag had only 13 stars for the 13 colonies when it was first adopted, the flag has since grown alongside the U.S. to include the 50 stars for the 50 states. The Severna Park Library held a ceremony on Flag Day to change the flag flying in front of the library.

“A few years ago, we all noticed that the flag needed replacing, so I requested my branch manager at that time … if I could put an event together with the local scout troop,” said Laura Kellman, a library associate.

Kellman organized the event and contacted local Boy Scouts of America (BSA) troops. This year, the ceremony was held by Troop 1983, Severna Park’s first, and currently only, BSA female troop. After Kellman introduced the group of onlookers the day of the event, scoutmaster Jason Port presented his troop and then the girls took it from there.

“I’m so pleased that they were able to work this out in their schedule and help us out on a very important day,” Kellman said.

For the ceremony, Charlotte Triplett, the troop’s senior patrol leader, read the poem “I am the Flag” by Howard Schnauber before a color guard came forward to lower the flag and raise a new one in its place. With the troop bugler playing in the background, the girls in the color guard lowered the old flag that had been flying for the past year, folded it into the traditional triangle shape and raised a new flag over the library.

Troop 1983 Scout Zoe Port was glad to participate in the ceremony.

“The library has really supported us for things like merit badges, so when they asked us to help them, we were really honored to help them,” she said. “It was a great experience.”

Charlotte Shinnamon shared a similar sentiment.

“Flag Day is one of the times when we get to take a minute to honor our nation,” Charlotte said. “As Scouts, flag duties are really an important part of what we do, so it was great to do this for the community.”

After the Scouts did their part, they sang “God Bless America.” Kellman gave closing remarks, and as the sun began to set, the flag was illuminated at the top of the flagpole for its first day of flying over the Severna Park Library.

“I do plan on doing this every year with the same Scout troop as they grow and change throughout their time,” Kellman said.