photo is the participants for the Flag Ceremony

On 14 June 2023, the Colonel James Wood II Chapter of the Virginia Society Sons of the American Revolution (SAR) participated in a Benevolent and Protective Order of the Elks Flag Ceremony.  This ceremony was held on the Winchester Walking Mall in front of the Old Court House.  The ceremony was conducted by Elks Lodge 867 and emcee'd by Dave Gardiner.  Compatriots from the SAR and Veterans of Foreign Wars Post 2123 participated.  The Elks is an organization dedicated to patriotic service and promotes the proper knowledge of and respect for, the American Flag.  One of the activities is to conduct an annual service on 14 June, the anniversary of the birth of the American Flag.  This service was first considered by the then Grand Exalted Ruler at the 1907 Grand Lodge Session in Philadelphia.  June 14th was adopted and called "Elks Flag Day".  The following year, the ritual for the Flag Day ceremony was approved.  On 3 August 1949, President Harry S. Truman signed Public Law 203, designating 14 June as Flag Day.  The Elks was the first fraternal organization to celebrate Flag with a formal ceremony which they had been observing since 1908.

During the ceremony, members of the VFW and SAR alternated presenting historical U.S. Flags while a short biography of that flag was read and appropriate music played.  There were nine flags presented, beginning with the "Appeal to Heaven Flag" (presented by Steve Renner), followed by the "Don't Tread On Me Flag" (Brian Bayliss) and the "Grand Union Flag" (Matthew Williams).  Seven stars and stripes flags beginning with the "Betsy Ross" (Kelly Ford), "15 Star" (Tony Ferrell),  "20 Star"  (Chip Daniel), "48 Star" (Larry Reynard) Flags and ending with the "50 Star Flag" (Brett Osborn) were presented.  The "POW/MIA Flag" was then presented by VFW member and Vietnam Veteran Wayne Garner, appropriately to honor those who are still missing or in a POW status.  After the final flag was brought forth, the assembly was asked to stand and recite the Pledge of Allegiance and then to sing "God Bless America".  A rifle salute was fired by members of the VFW Post 2123 rifle squad.  Participating for the SAR were Brian Bayliss, Dale Corey, Thomas "Chip" Daniel, Kelly Ford, Brett Osborn and Jim Simmons.  For the VFW were Wayne Garner, Larry Reynard, Tony Ferrell, Matthew Williams and Steve Renner.