Fourth-grader Raul Roman summed it up perfectly.
“The American flag is my heart,” he said, reading aloud from his award-winning essay this afternoon at Riverhead Elks Lodge. The flag represents “bravery and courage…honor and loyalty” and strength, he continued.
“It represents the freedom and love our country has and nothing can change that.”
“It means respect,” Noah Rios, a third-grader at Riley Avenue, wrote. “It symbolizes that anything is possible.”
Out of the mouths of babes.
Raul, Noah and four other Riverhead students, grades 1 through 5, read their winning essays aloud at the Elks’ annual Flag Day ceremonies today at the organization’s East Main Street Lodge.
The event kicked off with an educational segment about the history of the American flag, with a rundown of Old Glory’s predecessors, dating back to the revolutionary era: from the pine tree flag that flew over the Battle of Bunker Hill and the “Don’t Tread on Me” snake flag flown by the southern states of the young union, to the flag crafted by Betsy Ross and the 15-star, 15-stripe flag that flew over Fort McHenry — the “star-spangled banner” that inspired Francis Scott Key’s poem, which later became our National Anthem, to the flag that has remained unchanged since the addition of the 50th star on July 4, 1960, representing the state of Hawaii (the 50th state, admitted to the union on Aug. 21, 1959).
Special guest Sam Cila, a decorated U.S. Army veteran who served in Iraq in 2004-2005. He was seriously injured by a roadside bomb and as a result lost his left hand. Cila has since become a dedicated athlete, competing in triathlons to raise money for the children of fallen soldiers. To date, he’s raised over $1 million, he told today’s audience at the lodge.
Cila read notes from the journal of legendary Marine Major Doug Zembiec, known as the “Lion of Fallujah,” who was killed in action in Iraq in 2007:
“Be a man of principle. Fight for what you believe in. Keep your word. Live with integrity. Be brave. Believe in something bigger than yourself. Serve your country. Teach. Mentor. Give something back to society. Lead from the front. Conquer your fears. Be a good friend. Be humble and self-confident. Appreciate your friends and family. Be a leader and not a follower. Be valorous on the field of battle. And take responsibility for your actions. Never forget those that were killed, and never let rest those that killed them.”
In recognition of their honor, each of the children was presented with prizes from the Elks Lodge and certificates from the Town of Riverhead by Supervisor Sean Walter and Councilwoman Jodi Giglio.
Following the ceremonies, the students and their families were treated to an all-American hamburger-and-hot-dog lunch courtesy of the Elks.
RiverheadLOCAL photos by Denise Civiletti
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