The Benevolent and Protective Order of Elks requires a formal observance of Flag Day, and the Columbia-Middletown Elks 1074 took that mission to heart when it hosted a Flag Day ceremony on June 12. The ceremony was held in the gazebo in Locust Street Park, 550 Locust St., Columbia, and it featured a program dedicated to celebrating the history of the flag.

"We started off with our Exalted Ruler, Bob Nikolaus, who introduced some local dignitaries, and then we presented a program where we gave the history of every flag we've had since we began as a nation," said Jeff Jones, Esteemed Leading Knight with the Columbia-Middletown Elks. "We have had nine different flags as a country."

The ceremony included remarks from Columbia Mayor Leo Lutz and Police Chief Jack Brommer. The Frontier Girls, Boy Scout Troop 35 and Columbia Cub Pack 35 handed out small flags and flag lapel pins to the audience prior to the ceremony. Music for the ceremony was provided by Chris Prestia of Columbia School of Music. Selections included patriotic songs such as "God Bless America."

The tradition of Elks hosting Flag Day ceremonies dates to July 1908, when the Elks Grand Lodge made observance of the date mandatory for all subordinate lodges. In 1916, President Woodrow Wilson officially established June 14 as Flag Day. The holiday became a national observance in 1949, when President Harry Truman, himself a member of the Elks, was inspired to sign an act of Congress dedicating June 14 to the flag.

The Elks is a patriotic and charitable organization with lodges throughout the United States. Locally, the Columbia-Middletown Elks has more than 620 members and has invested more than $329,000 in the local community over the past five years. "We are huge supporters of veterans and veteran programs," Jones noted. "We also support drug and alcohol awareness programs and a variety of community organizations in the local area."

The purpose of the Flag Day ceremony, Jones said, was not only to honor the flag, but also to remind the participants of everything they share as Americans. "It's about bringing people together," he stated. "We are really divided these days as a country, but we want people to remember: We are all one great nation under God."

To learn more about the Benevolent and Protective Order of Elks, visit http://www.elks.org.