Maureen and Barry Kospiah, with their Australian Cattle Dog Cutty always nearby, held the third annual Veterans Day celebration at Kospia Farms, 2288 State St., Alburtis, Nov. 3.

Hosted by Bobby Gunther Walsh and Dan Holzman, of Newsradio AM 790 WAEB, the community-focused family event included a veterans ceremony.

A large round fire pit was lit to prepare for the burning of retired flags during the noontime ceremony. Boy Scouts with Troop 25 and Cub Scouts with Pack 25 who meet at Emmaus St. John’s U.C.C. in Emmaus volunteered at the event. Scoutmaster Andrew Frobase and Cubmaster David Ruyak participated in the event as well as U.S. Marine Corps Veteran P.J. Kehs who is a Den Leader with the Pack. Scouts were busy folding flags with veterans to properly prepare the flags for burning.

“All flags must be folded before they are burned,” Ruyak said.

Diane Davis entertained while the visitors walked around, shopped, ate or just waited for the ceremony to begin.

Promptly at noon, Rev. Jeremiah Sassaman, pastor of St. Paul’s Lutheran Church in Mertztown, opened with an invocation followed by Genevieve Weikel singing the national anthem and Lukas Bojt playing the national anthem on the trumpet. Both are students in the Brandywine School District.

“A flag burning ceremony is the only time a flag should be burned,” Ruyak said. He read the meaning of what the first stripe on the flag meant and then one stripe was burned. Ruyak did this 13 times, reading what each stripe represented before it was burned. Lastly the field of stars was burned after he read what the stars represented.

The rest of the folded flags were then burned and as black smoke billowed into the air, Walsh and Holzman took turns reading the names of veterans who served and those who are still serving.

Sassaman offered the closing prayer and Bojt played taps ending the ceremony.

Festivities continued until 4 p.m. including free classes on prepping garden beds for the coming winter by Sherrilyn Billger. There was also live music by TJ Bebb, an ambassador for One Wish Foundation, a “Letters to Soldiers” booth, a photo booth, a Chinese auction, Vince’s Cheesesteaks, The Dapper Donut Main Line, face painting, a Keystone Warrior booth, a bake sale, wine tasting, a few vendor booths, a chile contest, kid’s craft, beehive talk and local honey tastings. Tails of Valor, Macungie VFW and the Cold Nose Lodge also participated in the event.

Ten percent of the proceeds and additional money raised during the day were to benefit three nonprofit corporations: Boy Scouts, Macungie VFW and the Keystone Warriors.

The Veterans Day celebration at Kospia Farms is always held the first Saturday in November.