EMAIL:  mwhitney@stride.org     WEB: www.stride.org

Contact:            Mary Ellen Whitney- (518) 598-1279 

For Immediate Release

Flag Retirement Ceremony at SCORE

(Chatham NY)  Sunday, November 10, 2013 , (day before Veteran’s Day)the Mahikan District of the Boy Scouts of America will hold a Flag Retirement Ceremony at SCORE, formerly Girl Scout Camp Sha-Te-Muc located in Chatham, NY.   The facility, now called STRIDE Center for Outdoor Recreation and Education (SCORE Center)  is used as a retreat for youth with special needs, and Wounded Warriors and their families to enjoy in educational programs including camping, hiking, archery, fishing, snowshoeing, cross country skiing.

The Boy Scouts of America state:

“When the United States flag (Old Glory) becomes worn, torn, faded or badly soiled, it is time to replace it with a new flag, and the old flag should be "retired" with all the dignity and respect befitting our nation's flag. The traditional method of retirement is to incinerate the flag, but this does not mean that one should simply drop the entire flag (intact) into a fire.”SCORE was the perfect location for this ceremony, with the availability of outdoor fire pits, and the purpose of the property. The camp is available for veteran’s and Wounded Warriors as a retreat and many of our Warrior programs are held here. Many local Boy Scouts have completed their Eagle Scout projects at the property and local Scout troops have been a significant part of the upgrades and projects on the property since it was acquired by STRIDE. The dignified and elaborate ceremony will be held outside the main lodge with ample parking and handicapped accessible grounds.

The public is welcome to join the Boy Scouts in this ceremonial Flag Retirement Ceremony which will begin promptly at 2:00 PM. SCORE is located at 2182 State Route 203 in Chatham, NY – directly across from the Hudson River Tractor Company. If you have a flag that you’d like to be retired please drop it off to the STRIDE office or bring to the ceremony! Call 518-598-1279 for more details.

STRIDE’s mission is to educate and empower individuals with special needs in life-changing sport and recreation programs to sustain healthy, active and fun lifestyles. STRIDE is a volunteer organization with all sport lessons being taught by highly qualified volunteers, and STRIDE serves our Wounded Warrior community with re-habilitative sport and recreation programs to help them adjust to life and helping them adapt to their permanent injuries that they sustained during recent conflicts overseas.