AMVETS need volunteers to help place flags Saturday

Published 10:25 pm Wednesday, May 24, 2017

Want to help honor soldiers who have passed?

The AMVETS Post 23 will be placing flags on graves of those who served the country on Sat., May 27.

Those interested in helping place flags are asked to meet at the AMVETS service center, which is located across from Hook’s Barbecue in Opp, at 9 a.m. on Saturday.

Danny Donaldson of the AMVETS chapter, said that there are more than 300 veterans buried at Peaceful Acres Memorial Gardens in Opp.

“It will take about four hours to place those flags,” he said. “We need manpower.”

Donaldson said that they will place more than 700 flags at 18 different cemeteries in Opp, Kinston, Lowery, Ino and Babbie on Saturday.

There will be a Memorial Day Ceremony at Peaceful Acres Memorial Gardens on Mon., May 29, at 10 a.m.

Donaldson said that Randy Breedlove, pastor of Opp’s First Baptist Church, will give the invocation; Teddy Hall will give the benediction; Mayor Becky Bracke will lay the wreath; there will a speaker and Donaldson said that there will be two buglers playing “Echo Taps.”

A light brunch will be served after the ceremony at the AMVETS center.

There will be a flag retirement ceremony from 1 p.m. until 2 p.m.

“If you have battered or tattered flags, we will pick them up,” he said.

On Tues., May 30, they will also need manpower to help them take up the flags.

They will meet at 9 a.m.