SPRINGFIELD, Mo. — The Farnsworth DeMolay chapter held a flag retirement ceremony to remember the terrorist attacks on September 11, 2001. 

“This is helping educate them of how this actually affects our entire country,” said Frank Grantham, Squire Advisor for the Knights of Seven. “And we’re just little Springfield, Missouri. But these events need to go on throughout the U.S. 9/11 does not need to be forgotten.”

DeMolay International is a youth-led organization for men 12-21 years old, The goal of the organization is to shape young men into leaders.  

“They wanted to do a memorial for the 9/11 terror attacks that happened in New York City 22 years ago,” Grantham said. “And go with discussing it with them. We just decided that they would also like to add a flag retirement ceremony amongst that.” 

Thomas McInnish, chapter advisor of Farnsworth chapter order of DeMolay said this was the first time the chapter helped with a flag retirement ceremony. 

“That shows respect for those who passed on that day. It gives us an opportunity to remember the significant loss that we faced as a country,” Mcinnish said. “It also helps us remember a time when the country united together in one common cause.” 

Flags from flag collection boxes are flown one last time before being retired. 

Ceremonial burning is one of the ways flags can be properly and respectfully destroyed when it is considered no longer fit to fly.

“It’s important for us to remember that in times of tragedy,” said Mcinnish. “Even when we’re so divided as a country, we can still come together under one flag.”