JACKSONVILLE, Fla. – News4JAX celebrated Flag Day by giving away American flags.
We hosted a flag giveaway Monday at Channel 4, located at 4 Broadcast Place on Jacksonville’s Southbank. We invited viewers to stop by between 7 a.m. and 7 p.m. that day to exchange their old flags for replacements.
There was a steady stream of people bringing their faded, frayed and other flags that are in need of a respectful retirement to the station and then receiving a brand new flag. It’s estimated about 1,000 flags were given away.
“I’m proud of my flag, said Richard Dubas. “I love my country. I love our military service. I try to support the United States and the military as much as I can.”
For Richard Smith, the flag exchange was a chance to help out his mother.
“She’s elderly and I kind of keep care of her house and (the flag) was flying on the flag pole and it was getting pretty tattered,” Smith said. “It’s freedom. It stands for so much and for so many people. A lot of people died for that flag.”
Flags were given out on a first-come, first-served basis.
News4Jax will follow the old flags until they are disposed of Tuesday morning by a Boy Scout troop that follows guidelines to respectfully do so. If you’ve wondered what to do with your old flag and we couldn’t make it to WJXT on Monday, we’ve compiled some tips here about how to properly dispose of it.