 The colors are bold, the symbols strong and together they make up one of the most recognizable flags in the world. Josh Peterson shows us how Flag Day celebrates a special tradition for many communities. Those words echo over and over just about anywhere you go, but when the calendar lands on June 14th, local Elks Lodges take time to help communities remember what Flag Day is really all about. Today was a celebration of our national flag, the history of it, what it means to us as Americans. For the Elks organization, it's their responsibility to uphold the tradition of Flag Day and share the history of the American flag in communities all across the nation. Flag Day is strictly an Elks function that's done nationally by every Elks Lodge in the United States. It's a requirement. The Elks Lodge was not the only ones to display tradition. The Ralph Gracie American Legion post-14 also plays a key role in the ceremony by demonstrating the proper disposal of an American flag. They say Flag Day is one of the best days to remember your yearly flag maintenance. I think Flag Day is a good day to mark your calendar to replace the one that you have. If it's frayed on the edges and the wind whipping it, or it's fallen off the house and on the ground. While the day is meant to celebrate the birthday of the American flag, it is also a day to educate, which is why every June 14th, these two groups gather. There's a lot of history to our nation despite its young years and I like to stand behind it and be part of it. With great pride while instilling the history of the nation's symbol in both minds of young and old, these two groups will continue to gather for many Flag Days to come. In Bemidji, Josh Peterson, Lakeland News. And if you have a flag that's ready to be retired, you can take it to any American Legion or any Veterans Services Office to have it properly disposed of. If you enjoyed this segment of Lakeland News, please consider making a tax-deductible contribution to Lakeland PBS.