Scout troops launch American flag service Fundraiser for ‘rite of passage’ to include 5 major holidays

By Jake Menez Staff Writer

East Bay residents will have the opportunity to show their patriotism and have an American flag displayed in their front yard on major holidays thanks to a new subscription service two local Boy Scout troops have launched.

Scouts BSA Troop 21 and Troop 22 are offering their services to residents of Brentwood, Antioch, Oakley and Discovery Bay as a way to raise funds for an upcoming trip to Philmont, a Scout Reservation in New Mexico, the organizers of the flag service said. The cost of the flag service is $100 a year.

“Philmont is the largest high adventure base in the United States and is fully owned and operated by Boy Scouts of America,” the website for the flag service states.

“Located in the northeast corner of New Mexico the ranch consists of over 140,000 acres of rugged wilderness and backcountry trails. A trip to Philmont is widely considered the pinnacle of the Scouts BSA experience, and has been a rite of passage for scouts since the ranch was established in 1938.”

According to Christina Bell, whose child is participating in the service, fundraisers like the flag service are important to local Scouts because parents are not supposed to help them pay for the trip to Philmont.

“Philmont is a weeklong, 50-mile hike,” she said. “It’s a rite of passage because it’s something kids have to fundraise and pay for themselves. Parents cannot just write their child a check.“

Flags will be placed in the early morning on Memorial Day, Flag Day, the Fourth of July, September 11, and Veterans Day and taken down before dark, according to the website.

All five holidays must be purchased as a set, with no option for individual days. Scouts are responsible for placing and collecting the 3-feet by 5-feet flags rather than the homeowners.

Bell said Brentwood had this service for close to 30 years and was often done by scouts or local veterans. But the service has not been active for about 10 years.

Residents interested in signing up for the service can do so at www.brentwoodscoutflags. org or by calling (925) 642-4067.

The website also contains a Venmo link for the Brentwood troops for those interested in donating without subscribing.

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