On Flag Day, June 14, Boy Scouts and Cub Scouts from Troop/Pack 42, sponsored by Lake Stevens Memorial American Legion Post 181, respectfully conducted a flag retirement/decommissioning ceremony for 264 U.S. flags. An estimated crowd of 90 to 100 people braved the threatening weather to participate or observe. Many others were aware of the ceremony as they drove by the location near the downtown area during the two-hour event. The flags had been collected during the last six months in specially retrofitted U.S. mailboxes that are available 24/7 in two separate locations in the community. Since the first flag day ceremony a few years ago, Post 181 has added the Sunday near Pearl Harbor Day as a second, special retirement day. Altogether over 2500 flags from the community have been respectfully decommissioned according to the U.S. Flag Code. The ceremony begins when two senior Scouts present a faded, torn, or otherwise worn-out flag to the Post Commander. After inspection the flag is laid carefully on a bed of coals. When it has been burned, all the Scouts take turns laying a flag onto the coals until all the flags have been retired.