November 13, 2011 Grange Flag Retirement Program

Each spring the Interlaken American Legion Post would place flags on the graves of veterans at Lake View Cemetery. In the fall, the flags would be gathered and retired. With the retirement of the Legion charter in 2008, a new group was needed to take on the responsibility.

The Interlaken Historical Society was approached, but a better suggestion was made, Interlaken Grange. A significant focus of the Grange program is Community Service. What better group to take on the effort to honor our veterans.

In May 2009 the Grange began placing flags at the cemetery. Working from a list of nearly 300 names, members walked through carrying armloads of flags. In addition to the list, they were looking for the military headstones and military flag holders.

That fall, after Veterans Day the group returned to the cemetery to collect all the flags.

November, 2009 Members of Interlaken Grange collecting the flags
 at Lake View Cemetery. Photos from the author's collection

November 19, 2009 was a rainy Thursday evening when members of the Interlaken Fire Department arrived to assist in retiring the flags. Using parts of the Legion program, the evening progressed, and the flags were retired.

November 19, 2009, Members of Interlaken Grange taking part in the flag retirement.

The cycle continues, sometimes with additional family members to Scouts and other volunteers helping with both placement and retirement. One year close to 700 flags were retired as the Grange assisted other organizations in retiring their collected flags.

November 13, 2011, Members of Interlaken Grange and Interlaken Fire Department at the Flag Retirement Service. 

Dewitt’s Diary November 13, 1949 and 1950

Sunday, November 13, 1949

Cloudy Temperature 42. Rain last night. Husked a little corn but too windy.

Helped Edna paper on our bedroom this afternoon.

Deer crossing the west fields every night.

Monday, November 13, 1950

Partly cloudy and cool all day. Temperature up to 40.

Drew in some corn stalks also some corn to husk.

Leland plowing this afternoon.

I husked some corn this afternoon in the field.