hat better way to honor a veteran than with a flag flying high on Memorial Day and Veterans Day courtesy of IOP Exchange Club’s Flags for Heroes program. You can have a flag waving in their honor with a tag showing their name, rank and other info. On Veterans Day and Memorial Day, he Veterans of Foreign Wars Post 3137 on the Isle of Palms held its semi-annual Flag Retirement Ceremony on April 6. All VFW posts provide a dignified retirement of old and tattered American flags. The ceremony was held beneath the American flag soaring over the Post, with a spectacular view of the Atlantic Ocean. Post Commander Bo Stallings opened the ceremony, followed by Chaplain Carol Truslow providing the invocation. The national anthem was led by Post Bugler Joe Houdek, followed by the Pledge of Allegiance. The flag over the Post was raised during the playing of “To the Colors” by Houdek. Hundreds of flags were properly retired by veterans, Auxiliary members, Boy Scouts and community members. Members of Boy Scout Troop 20, which meets at Mount Pleasant Presbyterian Church, participated. The Troop 20 lead16 IslandVibesIOP.com COMMUNITY The "The Post on the Coast" pays tribute to veterans, retires old flags By Pamela Marsh IOP Exchange Club honors all veterans with Flags for Heroes By Robbie Berg T W Isle of Palms VFW Post 3137 Auxiliary members Charlie Missile, vice commander; Joe Houdek, post bugler; Mike Hanna, trustee; Carol Truslow, chaplain; Bo Stallings, post commander; Boy Scouts Rafal Pawlik, Davidson Bendell, Luke Pawlik, Brown Humphrey and Buddy Gillam, past post commander. er is Daniel Senden. Members of Boy Scout Troop 15, which meets at Moultrie Middle School, also attended. The Troop 15 leader is Ryan Giles. During the educational component of the ceremony, the Boy Scouts demonstrated the proper way to fold the flag. The ceremony celebrated the flag as more than just a piece of cloth. It is the emblem of America. A worn flag receptacle is provided to the community at the entrance to the Post on Ocean Boulevard. Post 3137 on the Isle of Palms is fondly referred to as the “post on the coast.” Members of the VFW have served in a foreign war in one of the branches of the U.S. Military, either Army, Navy, Marines, Air Force or Coast Guard. Many of the local veterans served in Vietnam, Desert Storm, the Gulf War or Operation Iraqi Freedom. Sadly, many of our World War II vets are no longer with us. Members of the VFW Auxiliary have a close family member who served in the military in a foreign war and were honorably discharged. The VFW actively supports all members of the U.S. military, veterans and their families. To learn more about the VFW Post 3137, visit vfwpost3137.org. the IOP Exchange Club showcases a breathtaking display of hundreds of American flags at Towne Center and the Exchange Club. Flags for Heroes is a way to say thank you to our fallen veterans and their families for their ultimate sacrifice and to our other veterans who have served our country here at home and abroad. The Americanism Committee has now offered this opportunity to honor our veterans for one year starting on Memorial Day. The IOP Exchange Club has received many stories from contributors to this fundraiser of flags that have been erected and pictures taken with their family in front of the flag(s) proudly sharing this opportunity to honor a father, mother, sibling or a friend. One such contributor recounted his experience of bringing his family to the Flags for Heroes site and described it as the highlight of their vacation on Isle of Palms. The IOP Exchange is not only honoring individual veterans, but those families to whom they mean so much. Thank you IOP Exchange Club for making this time of remembrance and commemoration available to our veterans’ families. The IOP Exchange Club’s Americanism Committee has been very active this year, providing over $25,000 in donations to veterans’ organizations, including the Charleston Fisher House, Tri-County Veterans Support Network, Vantage Point Foundation, Growing Minds Farm, She’s The Veteran and the VA Medical Center, to name a few. To increase their support of Charleston and Berkeley County veterans and their families, the Americanism Committee hopes that you will join them in advocating for veterans throughout the year by sponsoring a flag(s) for the 2024 Memorial Day “Flag Flying High” display at the IOP Exchange Club May 22-28 or the Veterans Day display Nov. 3-16. Go to iopflagsforheroes.com to get a sponsor form or to become a bronze, silver or gold sponsor.
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