FOLEY— Flying high with 13 stripes and 50 stars, most people would recognize this as the United States flag. For those who have fought for this country, they see sacrifice, hope and freedom.
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FOLEY— Flying high with 13 stripes and 50 stars, most people would recognize this as the United States flag. For those who have fought for this country, they see sacrifice, hope and freedom.
In 1777, the Second Continental Congress decided that the flag of the U.S. would include 13 stripes that were alternate from red and white and white stars would be placed in a blue field, which represented a new constellation.
This flag, which is known as "the Stars and Stripes," "Old Glory," or "the Star-Spangled Banner," was originally designed by Betsy Ross. In 1958, as the U.S. continued to grow, a high school junior from Michigan named Bob Heft conceptualized a 50-star version for a school assignment. This project would soon be accepted by President Dwight Eisenhower and became the new official flag of the United States.
On April 18 at The Gift Horse Restaurant, members of the Military Officer Association of America (MOAA) gathered to learn about the American flag and its origin.
Member of the MOAA and Retired Lieutenant Colonel Dennis Koppersmith said to him, the flag means patriotism.
"I learned from my father, who was a World War II veteran, and I grew up to respect the flag, our country and the heritage that we have," Koppersmith said. "That is why I chose to serve 24 years in the Alabama National Guard."
During the event, Foley High School's Junior Reserve Officers' Training Corps (JROTC) conducted a flag folding ceremony, an observance that symbolizes respect and honor for the flag. The ceremony involves two individuals facing each other, holding the flag at waist height, folding it in half lengthwise and then folding it into a triangular shape 13 times, revealing only the blue starred field.
Cambri Nelson, Foley High School JROTC Cadette Technical Sargent, said JROTC has not only helped her grow and become more confident, but has also showed her what the Stars and Stripes mean.
"For me, it is a symbol of you can do anything you want to do, no matter who you are," Nelson said. "Even if you come from a family that does not have much, you can still go out and do what you want to do."
