ST. JOHNS COUNTY, Fla. – More than 20,000 American flags have been rescued from trash cans and collected from drop-off boxes throughout St. Johns County, thanks to a collaboration between veterans and the county’s Solid Waste Division.
Founded in 2019, the American Flag Rescue Program provides residents with a respectful way to retire worn or damaged flags.
On the table in front of Army Vietnam Veteran Rick McAllister, Solid Waste Outreach Coordinator Chris Benjamin, and Navy Veteran David Weir sat the 20,000th rescued flag in St. Johns County.
“Normally we’re on the average, what? Uh... 1,800 flags a month. We’re retiring,” Weir said. “Thanks to Chris’s help, he brings in 400 flags a month, more than that.”
Flags are dropped off at any of 36 collection points around the county, including bins behind the Veterans of Foreign Wars building on U.S. 1, which is easily recognized by a large tank displayed outside.
The 20,000th flag came from a Home Depot location.
The mission to properly retire flags began after worn flags were found discarded in the trash, prompting the county and veterans to create a dignified program.
“We didn’t want them in the trash, and when these guys came along, it was just the marriage made in heaven for us,” Benjamin said.
McAllister emphasized the significance of the flag to all veterans.
“Every single veteran that has served in a United States military branch has raised their hand and taken an oath, and when they took that oath, they did that in front of that flag,” he said.
The flags are ceremonially retired with great respect.
“We don’t even let any of our flags touch the ground while we’re doing our ceremony. And matter of fact, the guys will even say, ‘Hey, get that up off the ground if it touches inadvertently.’ We don’t let that happen. That’s how much respect we have for the flag,” Weir said.
The American Flag Rescue Program offers residents a dignified way to dispose of their flags while honoring the sacrifices of those who served under them.
“That flag is probably the most important symbol of freedom and democracy in the United States. And every veteran will tell you that that’s what has led them through their service,” McAllister said.
