For more than 100 years, the Park City chapter of the Benevolent and Protective Order of the Elks has celebrated Flag Day.
The Elks Club, dedicated to patriotic service, marked its first Flag Day service in 1907 on June 14 – the date considered to be the anniversary of the birth of the American flag.
In 1950, President Harry Truman, an Elk member, signed a proclamation designating June 14 as a national observance for Flag Day.
Elks Club member Cheryl Soshnik said on KPCW's Local News Hour, “Elks are patriotic. Elks are an American organization. Elks respect the flag, and we're just a non-denominational nonpolitical American charitable organization, but the flag is a very important part of our patriotism.”
The annual Flag Day ritual Saturday begins at noon at the Park City Senior Center parking lot [1361 Woodside Ave.] She suggests riding a bike or taking the bus because of the limited parking.
“All 1,700 of the [Elk] lodges will be doing the same ceremony on Flag Day,” she said. “We actually parade in all of the flags throughout the history of our country and tell a little story about each of the flags. And then we have some patriotic singing, and it lasts probably no more than half an hour. And it's just a nice American thing to do.”
Afterwards, she said everyone is invited to stay for hamburgers, hotdogs and all the trimmings.
The Park City Elks Lodge is located at 550 Main St. and meetings are held on the 2nd and 4th Thursdays of each month.
More information about the Elks Club's Flag Day events can be found here.
