Local Girl Scout Samantha Moore is taking a patriotic approach for her Bronze Award project. She is currently collecting old and worn U.S. flags from local residents, which will be turned over to the local American Legion for retirement.
    The Girl Scout Bronze Award is the highest honor a Junior Girl Scout can earn. The 11-year-old Moore, who is an Athens resident, is a member of Troop 386 of Athens.
    Moore said she has put collection boxes at various local businesses for people to place their old and worn flags in. The boxes have been placed at the P&C Markets on Keystone Avenue and Elmira Street, at the Dandy Mini Mart on Main Street in Athens Borough, at Plants N’ Things in Sayre, and at Tractor Supply Depot.
    The flags will be collected until May 27 and will be donated to the American Legion, which will handle the retirement of the flags.
    Moore said the idea for the project came from her family’s dilemma over the disposition of their old and worn flag.
    “We thought that a lot of other people are in the same boat as us,” said Moore’s mother, Carla.
    Moore said she also chose this project as a way to better inform the public as to how to property retire a U.S. flag.
    “You just can’t throw them away,” she said.
    Moore said she has already received some response from the community regarding her project.
    “A couple of my friends and people have given me old American flags, even before we got the boxes out,” she said.
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    Warren Howeler can be reached at whoweler@morning-times.com.