VIDEO: Township Pledges Allegiance to 9/11 Flag

Tuesday's began as all Oakland Township meetings do: with the Pledge of Allegiance.

Instead of standing to face the flag behind the commissioners' desk as usual, chairman James Carter instead asked his fellow commissioners and audience members to stand and face a triangular wooden case perched on a smaller desk in the corner of the room.

"In honor of those who sacrificed their lives as innocent victims of 9/11, those who sacrificed their lives trying to save others and those who have worked tirelessly since to make things better, we'll use this flag, which was flying at the township on 9/11 10 years ago," Carter said.

Following 9/11, township employees, including Commissioner Janine Saputo, took the flag down to preserve it. Robert Kasprzak, the husband of township employee Carol Kasprzak, built the wooden display case in which the flag is preserved.

"This flag was preserved by the Oakland Township Historic District Commission shortly after 9/11, together with the township officials," Saputo said during Tuesday's meeting. "It was folded and ceremoniously put in the box shortly after 9/11."

She added, "We are pleased, 10 years later, that we have this commemorative item here in our township. It will go forward in our heritage."