Flag Day event to be on Bangor Waterfront

For 23 years, Bangor has been host to an event celebrating a daythat is federally recognized but that is not a federal or stateholiday: Flag Day.

The citys Flag Day celebration begins at 6:30 p.m. Tuesday, June14, on the Bangor Waterfront. In case of inclement weather, theevent will be moved inside, to the Bangor Parks and RecreationDepartment Building at 647 Main St.

Flag Day, according to the Internet, commemorates the July 14,1777, adoption by resolution of the Stars and Stripes by the SecondContinental Congress as the official flag of the United States.

President Woodrow Wilson officially proclaimed June 14 as FlagDay in 1916 and, in August, 1949, President Harry S. Truman signedan Act of Congress designating June 14 as National Flag Day.

For the past three years, we have been most fortunate to have hadthe volunteer leadership of Mary Drewof Glenburn as the soleorganizer of this local event and, to her, we owe our most sinceregratitude, because it is not an easy task.

Each year, Mary told me earlier this week, it is gettingincreasingly difficult to find people, groups, organizations andschools willing and able to take part.

So Mary just keeps making calls, hoping for them to be returnedwhich, unfortunately, does not often happen.

Everybody is busy, it seems, and getting busier all the time.

But Mary remains optimistic, and determined to continue thisBangor Flag Day tradition.

We are hoping for good weather, she said. The last two years wehad to move indoors. If it rains, or is the least bit threatening,we will be inside.

And while the program is pretty well set, earlier this week Marywas still seeking a chaplain to participate, as well as anyone elsewho might like to do a reading, sing or in any other way contributeto this one day a year when we recognize the American Flag as thestandard of our country.

The Marine Corps League, Detachment 1151, based in Bangor and ledby Commandant WilliamJoneswill present the colors and conduct theflag-folding ceremony, for which Mary is most appreciative.

God bless them, Mary said of the group that has long been amainstay of the program and has been faithful about being in contactwith her.

Members of her Mary Drew School of Dance in Orono also will takepart, as they have in the past.

Dancers in the Class III and Advance level will perform topatriotic medleys in patriotic costumes, thanks again to Mary, whocan sew up a storm.

Attendees will especially enjoy their performance to the music ofthe ever-popular Boogie Woogie Bugle Boy, made famous by The AndrewsSisters during World War II.

The program also features the four-part, a capella harmony of thewomens group the River City Harmonizers, directed by Mary Gaudreau,and there will be various patriotic poetry readings, MaryDrew said.

We are still looking for people to take part, she added, andanyone who wants to can call me at 745-1621. I especially hope thatpeople will turn out to honor the flag.

River City Harmonizers, by the way, always is looking for womenwho love to sing barbershop style, and welcomes new members.

The chorus currently is meeting from 6:45 to 9:15 p.m. Thursdays,at Redeemer Lutheran Church, 540 Essex St. in Bangor, in preparationfor its July performance at Belfasts Arts in the Park, member LynnRogerstold me.

For more information about River City Harmonizers, call SylviaPomeroyat 947-3128.

Joni Averill, Bangor Daily News, P.O. Box 1329, Bangor 04402;javerill@bangordailynews.com; 990-8288.