Riverhead Elks commemorate Flag Day

The Riverhead Elks Lodge held its annual Flag Day ceremony Sunday, featuring elementary school essay contest winners reading their essays, “What the Flag Means to Me.”

Long Island ABATE’s annual veterans appreciation run from Riverhead to Montauk, kicked things off Sunday outside the East Main Street lodge, where hundreds of bikers gathered for the start of the run.

At the ceremony, the Elks pay homage to the United States’ current official flag as well as six of its predecessors. A description of the flag is read along with the dates its flew over our country and how its design came to be.

The winners of an elementary school essay contest held by the Elks Lodge read aloud their essays  “What the flag means to me.”‘ The winners are listed below.

Long Island ABATE, or American Bikers Aimed Toward Education, is a group “formed to promote and protect the interests of New York motorcyclists,” according to longislandabate.com. The veterans appreciation run began at the Riverhead Elks Lodge at 11:30 a.m. and the riders make their way out to Montauk for a salute to U.S. veterans.

Essay contest winners for the first, second and third grade category:
First place – Jordyn DiGiaimo, Riley Avenue School
Second place – Jack Simon, Philips Avenue School
Third place – Jenna Hudwig, Riley Avenue School
Fourth place – Stephanie Ramirez Xiquin – Philips Avenue School
Fourth place – Joanna Acritelli – Riley Avenue School

Essay contest winners for the fourth and fifth grade category:
First Place – Ainsley Hipp – Pulaski Street School
Second Place – Claudia Spiker – Aquebogue Elementary School
Third Place – Hunter Pozgay – Pulaski Street School
Fourth Place – Kimberly Horvat – Riley Avenue School
Fourth Place – Josh Carey – Aquebogue Elementary School

Flag Day is commemorated each year on June 14, the date in 1777 that the Second Continental Congress adopted the stars and stripes as the official flag of the United States of America.

RiverheadLOCAL photos by Emil Breitenbach Jr.
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