By: Sharon Aron Baron
Thanks to a Police officer and former City Commissioner, Coral Springs residents now have a “flag drop off box” which resembles a US mailbox allowing them to have a centralized location to drop off their damaged US flags.
The U.S. Flag code states that, “the flag, when it is in such condition that it is no longer a fitting emblem for display, should be destroyed in a dignified way, preferably by burning.” Thus, when a flag is torn and tattered beyond repair, it’s time for it to be retired.
“I have always flown the American flag in front of my home, but it’s been hard to find a place to properly dispose of it,” said former City Commissioner Claudette Bruck who used to take her used flags to the American Legion in Tamarac. However, one day when a Coral Springs Police Officer, who recently vacationed out of state, showed her a photo of a flag drop off box that she had seen on her travels, it peaked her interest. Bruck contacted City Staff who found out more about the manufacturer and ordered it for the City.
Tamarac Talk presented this idea to the Tamarac City Commission on April 8, 2015 and had the City Clerk pass out photos of this box. There was no comment or seemingly any positive reaction, however, we’re hoping that this would be considered in front of City Hall or at Veteran’s Memorial Park as our City has so many patriotic residents that do fly flags.
According to Ron Stancavage, President of the Veterans Coalition of Coral Springs, “I was there today and was dropping off a couple of flags that someone gave to us from Our Town, and I noticed that the box was full.” He said that the Parks and Recreation Department maintains and empties the box and then gives the flags to the Coalition who will then properly retire them in a ceremony on June 14 which is Flag Day.
“Last year, we filled a 55 gallon drum. We didn’t want to keep everyone, so we let the Parks Department burn the rest of them, so we think we had over 100 flags at the ceremony,” said Stancavage.
“We used to collect the flags but now it’s much easier with the mailbox in front.”
The Coral Springs flag box is located in front of the Coral Springs Gymnasium at 2501 Coral Springs Drive.