Toms River, NJ – Troop 92, the Toms River Veterans’ Commission and members of the Township Council have come together to host a dedication ceremony of a newly installed U.S. Flag Retirement Drop Box. The event will take place on Tuesday, May 9th, at 4:30 pm in the Town Hall Courtyard.
The Drop Box was created as an Eagle Scout project by Shane August, a member of Troop 92 located in the Silverton section of the Township. Shane dedicated the project to Michael Kelly, a friend of his mother’s late son. Kelly, while pursuing Eagle Scout rank, had wanted to create a Flag Drop Box in his community. Unfortunately, he became ill with Crohn’s disease and aged out of the Boy Scouts before he could complete the project.
After being moved by Kelly’s courage and determination, Shane decided to carry out the project in his honor. The box is located at 33 Washington Street in front of the Municipal Building, and is a designated drop box where members of the community can leave their old, tattered, and torn flags. Every so often, the box will be emptied, and all flags will be retired properly by either the Scouts or the American Legion.
During the ceremony, Rachel Disbrow, an American Sign Language (ASL) interpreter, was present to sign the event for the hearing-impaired.
Photo by Toms River Township.