Most people know that there's a proper way to dispose of an American flag, but what some are not aware of is just how to retire a flag if it becomes weathered, damaged or tattered.

Luckily, folks in Albion, Pa., don't have to worry about disposing of their flags anymore due to the efforts of local Eagle Scout Thomas Lawrence. After being approached with the concept of a flag box by his Scoutmaster to earn his Eagle rank, Thomas presented the idea to Ed Wojtecki, commander of the Sons of The American Legion in Albion.

Ed brought up the potential Scout project at a Legion meeting last year, and asked what other members thought of Thomas' idea to position a flag disposal box in front of the Legion building for public use. The proposal received unanimous approval.

“When Ed initiated the proposal to have a flag box installed here at the Legion, we thought it was a great idea,” said Post 567 Commander Jim Vorse. “When he explained it was an Eagle Scout project, we were pleased to join forces to bring this flag processing service to Albion.”

The design was drawn, and after three weeks of work the flag box was built. It was then installed in front of the Albion Legion building, which is located on busy Route 6N so it is very visible and easy to find. Flags which are dropped into the box are removed and disposed of properly by local Legion post officials.

Thomas, who is a senior at Northwestern High School, said that he “feels a sense of pride” whenever he travels past the Post and sees his creation. “It was a good choice to help both the Legion and the community,” he said in a recent interview.

So next time someone is seeking a way to properly dispose of their American flag, be sure to pass the word along about this particular flag-box location. You can also throw in a good word for the Scout who helped transform the idea into a reality.