Manchester Boy Scout Looking For 'Friends of the Flag'

Thirteen-year-old John Sander of Manchester hopes to turn his Eagle Scout project into an movement to eliminate torn and tattered American flags across the country.

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He's calling his mission "Friends of the Flag" and is beginning it in Manchester.

The St. Joseph Parish student and other scouts from Troop 751 plan to go business to business collecting damaged and tattered flags.

Once the flags are collected, Sander hopes local volunteers will help repair the damaged flags.

"I am going to try and spread it to other boy scout troops and my goal is to get it nationwide so there are no damaged flags," Sander explained to the Manchester Board of Alderman Monday night.

Sander's father tells Patch that during the process, the scouts can also retire any flag that cannot be repaired and they will do that during a ceremony where the flags will be burned.

Sander plans to begin his project in the next few months.

If you would like to help repair the flags or have a flag you'd like repaired or retired, contact Boy Scout Troop 751 at Troop751.org and click the "contact" button on the left side of the page, or email the scoutmaster here.