RESERVE — The hundreds of River Parishes residents who proudly display an American flag on their property will eventually face a dilemma — what to do with it when it’s old, torn or tattered.

Benny Robichaux, the sergeant-at-arms for American Legion Post 383, has the answer.

The Post will hold its second annual flag retirement ceremony at 10 a.m. Saturday in front of the Southeast Louisiana Veterans Home, 4080 W. Airline Highway in Reserve.

Those attending are asked to bring a non-perishable food item for the St. John Ministry of Care food bank.

Raffle tickets will be sold for a $1 donation, or three for $2. There will be a drawing for a $100 Walmart gift card, $25 discount card from Home Depot, an American flag, ball caps and other items.

There also will be a 50/50 drawing.

Free popcorn, water and soft drinks will be available until supplies last.

“It is an event,” Robichaux said. “We’re hoping to get people from all around the area to attend and spread it from there.”

The rules of the flag dictate that when one becomes so frayed that it is no longer fit to display, it should be destroyed in a dignified way, preferably by burning. Not everyone has the means to do that, however, nor do they know the proper procedure.

Saturday’s ceremony is designed to educate citizens as well as follow the rules for proper disposal.

Robichaux and his fellow American Legion post members will be joined by residents of the Veterans Home, members of Boy Scout Troop 406, the Young Marines and volunteers from various other veterans organizations.

There will be an honor guard made up of first responders and other volunteers, who will stand at attention as the flag is lowered from its pole. Taps will be played and there will be a 21-gun salute.

A new, blessed flag will be raised, then lowered to half staff for a reading of the names of all of the fallen.

Taps and another 21-gun salute will follow.

The removed flag will be dismantled, stripe by stripe, then brought to the burning barrel. The union of blue will be burned intact, while the stripes are used to wrap other flags to be burned.

“We never want people to just throw them in the trash,” said Robichaux, a World War II veteran who served in the European theater with the U.S. Army. “We show the flag as a living thing. People can bring us their flag at any time. They don’t have to just go to this.”

For more information, call Robichaux at 504-487-0001 or email 2robys27@att.net.