Ace Hardware donates flag for American Legion to fly
MADISON – Members of American Legion, Post 229 – like other posts across the country – have a personal stake in the care and condition of American flags that fly or stand in the community.
“Part of the mission of Madison American Legion, Post 229 is to educate the community on proper flag etiquette and how to display the American flag,” Jean Downs said. Downs serves as Vice Commander of Post 229. Post 229 maintains the flags at the official “City of Madison” entrance at the southern extent of Hughes Road at Madison Boulevard.
“The post has been the beneficiary of generous support to replace those flags through a partnership with Weathers’ Ace Hardware,” Post 229 Commander Larry Vannoy said. Tiffany Hamilton, Store Manager for the Ace Hardware store at 141 Hughes Road recently presented Vannoy with a new, 6-foot by 8-foot American Flag to replace the worn one at the City of Madison entrance.
“This is the second donation from Tiffany and Ace Hardware,” Vannoy said. In 2024, Ace Hardware also donated flags to replace worn ones at Captain Jesse Ollie Wikle Jr. Veterans Memorial Park on Front Street in downtown Madison.
On both Memorial Day and Veterans Day, Madison legionnaires place flags at the gravesites of more than 500 veterans in Madison’s four cemeteries. Community volunteers who assist the American Legion with flag placement include Boy Scouts, Girl Scouts and cadets in JROTC units at Bob Jones and James Clemens high schools.
American Legion, Post 229 has placed drop-off boxes in which residents can place worn or damaged flags. Legionnaires periodically collect the flags, numbering in the hundreds, for official ‘retirement’ procedures, which includes burning the flags.
“We have boxes all over the city and county. All the flag drop-off boxes were made by local Girl Scouts as part of their Gold Award projects,” Downs said.
Individuals can drop off flags for retirement at the following locations: * Any of the four Madison City Fire Stations. * Harvest Fire Station. * Toney Community Center. * Sparkman High School in front of the auditorium. * Monrovia Fire Station. * CrossPointe Church in the front atrium. “If you are a veteran and interested in joining Madison American Legion, Post 229, new members are always welcome. The post meets the second Thursday of each month at the new Madison Community Center on Brown’s Ferry Road at 6:30 p.m.,” Downs said.
