Cole English of Troop 8 at First Presbyterian Church presenting William Thompson of the Elks Lodge with a flag retirement collection box.

A member of Troop 8 at First Presbyterian Church is giving the community a respectful way to retire worn American flags through a new Eagle Scout project.

Cole English, a longtime Scout, has designed and built a series of flag retirement collection boxes that will be placed at locations across the area, including the Elks lodge, the Marionville Area Library, the Clarion Veterans club and the American Legion. Each box features its own unique design and measures approximately 3 feet by 1.5 feet.

English said the project required about 200 hours of work to complete three of the boxes, with additional units currently being built.

English presented the Elks Lodge with a box on Thursday, which was placed on the front porch to ensure access for both members and non-members.

The boxes are intended to provide a proper way for residents to dispose of worn or damaged American flags. Once collected, the flags will be retired in a formal ceremony at Scout camp, conducted alongside former military personnel. The annual ceremony typically includes the respectful burning of more than 100 flags.

English said his passion for the project stems from a lifelong appreciation of history and patriotism.

“If you look at my room, I have flags hung everywhere,” he said. “History has always been my pride and joy.”

He has been involved in Scouting since the age of six and plans to continue pursuing his passion for history beyond high school. After graduation, English will attend Slippery Rock University, where he intends to major in secondary education with a focus on social studies. He hopes to become either a high school teacher or a college professor.

Through his project, English aims to both serve the community and educate others about the importance of properly honoring the American flag.