Slideshow: Wilton scouts assist veterans with flag retirement

From the small to the tall, members of Wilton’s scouting groups formed two lines at American Legion Post 86 on Sunday, and each in turn handed over an American flag to be burned at the veterans’ annual flag retirement ceremony.

Daisies; members of Brownie Troops 50144, 50734, 50304 and 50056; members of Cub Scout Troop 22 and Boy Scout Troop 20 assisted members of the post in burning some of the 600 flags that were retired throughout the day.

The ceremony included prayers, the pledge of allegiance, and recognition of veterans who never returned home from war with a table set for those declared Missing in Action. Four Scouts — Cubs Alex Shiue and Connor Wolfe and Boy Scouts Quinn Mitchell and Brendan Genereux, with the help of Troop 22 leader Brad Wolf — read the American Legion charter in recognition of the legion’s 100th anniversary this year.

Wilton veterans who belong to Post 86 joined with the boys and girls in handing flags that included those that were placed on veterans graves for Memorial Day and those that were deposited in the “flag box” in front of post headquarters on Old Ridgefield Road.

Flags placed there will be kept for retirement in 2020, which will be the post’s centenary year.