They’re protectors, not protesters.
A unique St. Johns County municipal program has recovered and formally decommissioned more than 11,000 American flags that would have otherwise been dumped in landfills.
The American Flag Rescue Program was spearheaded in 2019 by Chris Benjamin of the St. Johns County Solid Waste Division.
The longtime local hatched the idea after seeing several flags intermingled with household garbage at local landfills.
Hoping to imbue their discarding with dignity, Benjamin decided to place collection bins throughout the county where residents could place their outgoing flags. There are currently 35 drop off locations throughout the area.
The flags are collected, formally decommissioned during a ceremony conducted at the local VFW, and then burned.
“All flags will be retired with honor and respect,” reads a statement from the county.
