MARQUETTE, Mich. (WZMQ) – Today is Flag Day, a national holiday dedicated to celebrating the day The United States flag was adopted back in 1777
In Marquette, there are a few organizations with traditions to honor Flag Day.
Tom Ranta is a member of the American Legion post in Marquette, he and around 15 other volunteers were in Harlow Park first thing this morning setting up the flag display.
“This started about 14 years ago by a past commander,” Ranta explained, “His vision was to set a few flags out here in Harlow Park, beautiful Harlow Park, and the veterans memorial.”
Back in 2009, The American Legion in Marquette started with 10 to 20 flags that they would install for flag day. This morning, volunteers were in the park at 7am to put up 140 flags around the veterans memorial. Every flag on display in the park is dedicated to a member of or a family member of someone at the legion who served in the military.
“His vision has been met,” Ranta says, “and what it’s trying to represent is just our love and our patriotism for our country, we want for when people drive by here to say ‘yes, I’m proud to be an American.’”
This afternoon, the Marquette, Negaunee, and Ishpeming Elks Lodge hosted a flag day ceremony for veterans at the D.J. Jacobetti Home for Veterans. Bob Wellman, a member of The Marquette Elks, says it’s important that they get to honor the flag in front of the veterans who fought for it.
“It represents you and me and everyone.” Wellman says, “I think that’s why it’s important to honor the flag and remember the history of the flag and our history of our country.”
Even though The Harlow park display is only up for flag day, Wellman says Flag Day is a great reminder of what the flag stands for and those who fought for it.
