volunteers and board members to
His or her flag is
help get the cemetery grounds back
hoisted, and a euloin shape.
gy is given along
To date, the fence lines have
with other patriotic
been cleared of brush and fallen
speeches and patritrees. Scrub trees that had grown
otic music. LASSAR
up along the fences are being
members particicleared so that the fences can be
pate, dressed in
repaired. Vegetation that had
colonial military
grown wild has been removed,
uniforms. All five
revealing grave markers previously
branches of the milihidden. Don also has drafted and
tary were representworked to implement new associaed this year, along
tion bylaws and general cemetery
with Compatriot
policies. With the help of his son,
Randy Roach, mayor
Don Jr., a new website was created,
of the city of Lake
featuring original founding docuCharles; Compatriot
ments and cemetery history,
The Most Rev. Glen
announcements, current and vinJohn Provost, the
tage photos, a list of veterans and a
bishop of the
link to Findagrave.com where every
Diocese of Lake
burial in the cemetery and a photo
Charles; and
of each headstone can be found.
Compatriot Ted
Four generations of Stout's fami- Compatriots from four Kentucky chapters provided the color guard and took
Harless, master of
part in the black-powder gun salute.
ly are buried in Old Rose Hill
ceremonies.
Cemetery and he travels there sevSAR members
p.m. Visitors are welcome to tour the
eral times a year from his home in
and volunteers from other organizaAvenue of Flags by either walking or
West Des Moines to work with voluntions—including four local Boy Scout
driving. Calcasieu-Gov TV station tele- troops, local Cub Scout packs, ROTC,
teers. He is a believer in the imporvises the event each year.
tance of remembering those who came
The Blue Knights, U.S. Army Reserve,
Each flag represents a specific vetbefore and the sacrifices they made to
U.S. Coast Guard, U.S. Marine Corps
eran—the official "casket flag" preensure our freedoms and prosperity.
League, Louisiana National Guard,
sented at the funeral. Each flag is
American Legion and local businessnumbered, and information about the
KENTUCKY SOCIETY
es—erect the display on Memorial
veteran is catalogued. The families
Day. Every year, a local Boy Scout
On May 1, 1780, the Virginia General have in turn lent or donated the flags
completes his final project to become
Assembly and then-Gov. Thomas
to the SAR for use in the patriotic
an Eagle Scout, enhancing the Avenue
Jefferson approved the town charter of
Avenue of Flags display. Memorial
of Flags. The flags are stored at
Louisville. George Rogers Clark
flags measure 5 feet by 9 feet and are
Navarra's Jewelry Store in Lake
recruited early Kentucky pioneer James generally too large for proper home
Charles when not being flown. Local
John Floyd, who was placed on the
display.
dry cleaners donate their services after
town's board of trustees and was given
The mission of the Avenue of the
the Memorial Day event to clean the
the authority to plan and lay out the
Flags is to respectfully display the U.S. flags as needed.
town. Jefferson County, named in
flag on Memorial Day to honor our
Anyone who has a veteran's flag
honor of the governor, was formed at
veterans of all branches of the military, that is not being flown to honor a
this time as one of three original
past and present. The project was
loved one is invited to donate it to be
Kentucky counties from the former
started in 1983 by the Oliver Pollock
included in our display. We take care
Kentucky County, Va. Louisville was,
Chapter of SAR. Then-chapter presiof the flags entrusted to us and deeply
and is, the county seat.
dent, the late Dr. Rex Smelser, envirespect the personal sacrifices repreTo commemorate Jefferson County's sioned the Avenue of Flags becoming
sented by each flag. Your flag may be
founding, members of the SAR, DAR,
the nation's largest display of U.S.
flown in our display by contacting
Colonial Dames, Daughters of the
flags. Beginning with 50 flags the first
Compatriot Ted Harless, 127 W. Broad
Confederacy and the War of 1812
year, it has grown to 890. The Avenue
Street, Chase Bank Building, Suite 600,
Societies gathered in front of a statue
of Flags has been honored with
Lake Charles, LA. 70601-4297; phone
of Thomas Jefferson at the Louisville
awards, including an official Southern
(337) 436-8940.
Courthouse before going to the
Travel Treasure by
Western Cemetery to honor early setSouthern Traveler in
tlers of Louisville and veterans from
2009, and the Top
the wars represented by the societies.
20 Events in the
LOUISIANA SOCIETY
Memorial Day marked the 13th
annual Avenue of Flags in Lake
Charles, La., one of the largest displays of memorial flags in the United
States, with this year's flags numbering 890. The flags are flown on either
side of the gravel roads winding
through Orange Grove-Graceland
Cemetery on Broad Street. The flags
are raised at sunrise and retired at 6
36
Southeast in 2004
and 2012 by the
Southeast Tourism
Society.
Each Memorial
Day, a recently
deceased veteran is
memorialized in a
special, moving
morning ceremony
in the cemetery.
SAR MAGAZINE