Mayor Thanks Community Members Who Assisted with Flag Placement

Mayor Thanks Community Members Who Assisted with Flag Placement


Lewiston, Maine - Lewiston Mayor Robert E. Macdonald is announcing his appreciation for community members who assisted Franco-American Veterans Post 31 in placing American flags by the plaques of veterans who are buried at St. Peter’s Cemetery. The flags were placed on site on May 19th.

Macdonald notes, “As Mayor of Lewiston and as a veteran, I was extremely proud that so many people turned out to undertake the important task of memorializing our veterans’ service to this nation.  The placement of the flags was a wonderful collaborative effort, and it was quite the sight to see!”

In 2001, the State passed a law that requires municipalities to purchase and place individual American flags at the gravestone of every veteran buried in each cemetery located in their respective town/city.  The flags must be in place for Memorial Day each year.

Many veterans, groups, and individuals of all ages assisted in the flag placement at St. Peter’s, helping to place over 2,600 flags.  Bert Dutil, an officer of Post 31, concurs with Macdonald, “It was one of the largest groups ever to help out.  As many of us veterans are getting older, and we are having a hard time doing the placing of the flags, our thanks go out to all who did help.”  Saturday’s flag placement, when combined with flags that volunteers had already placed there, totals approximately 4,000 flags for St. Peter’s.

Lewiston has 13 cemeteries and annually places over 7,000 flags.  For many of the smaller cemeteries, abutting neighbors usually place the flags.  The larger cemeteries, such as Mt. Hope, Riverside, and St. Peter’s, have been adopted by service organizations that take care of the flag placement.            

Flag placement for Riverside Cemetery and Grand Army Republic Cemetery (abuts Riverside Cemetery) will occur on Saturday, May 26, 2012, at 8:00 a.m., and participants are asked to meet at the Riverside Cemetery entrance on Summer Street (corner of Riverside Street and Summer Street; Riverside is off of Main Street). Those who plan on assisting are encouraged to wear sneakers or boots in case the grass is wet; to bring a screwdriver to poke a flag insert hole in the grass; and to bring a water bottle, hat, and sunscreen if it’s a hot day.  The effort will be facilitated by the Knights of Columbus.