The Emmaus Rotary Club hosted the annual Flag Day celebration June 14 at the Arts Pavilion in Emmaus Community Park, 1389 Shimerville Road, Emmaus. The program included Emmaus veterans, Girl Scouts, Boy Scouts, fifth grade students who wrote poems, eighth grade students who wrote essays, Sgt. JD Collier, U.S. Naval Academy graduate, The Rev. Ryan K. Schnake, associate pastor of the Concordia Lutheran Church and chaplain, U.S. Army Reserves, Nathan Brown, Emmaus Mayor Lee Ann Gilbert, the Hon. Douglas G. Reichley and musical presentations. Refreshments were served courtesy of Vienna Lodge 847 International Order of Odd Fellows and Ai Orthodontics. LEFT: The American Legion #19, the Marine Corps League Detachment #296, along with the Scouting community assist in advancing the colors. Additional photos appear on Page A13. PRESS PHOTO BY C. RICHARD CHARTRAND

The Rev. Ryan K. Schnake, associate pastor of the Concordia Lutheran Church and chaplain, U.S. Army Reserves gives the Invocation and Benediction.

Emmaus Mayor Lee Ann Gilbert welcomes the crowd gathered for the annual Flag Day celebration.

The Hon. Douglas G. Reichley provides remarks at the Flag Day celebration in Emmaus June 14.

A patriotic medley is presented by Thomas Polanowski along with his sisters Lilian and Evelyn and Ava Strachan. The four children led the attendees on a singalong of “This is My Country” and “God Bless America.”

The guest speaker is Lt. JD Collier, U.S. Navy Seabee.

The fifth grade winners read their poems about Flag Day including Alexander Lutz from Shoemaker Elementary School, Sofia Nelson from Willow Lane Elementary School and Mia Moyer from St. Ann School.

The eighth grade students read their essays about the flag, including Nora Hoffman from Lower Macungie Middle School, Thomas Leitzel from St. Ann School and Zoe Gaumer from Eyer Middle School.

PRESS PHOTOS BY C. RICHARD CHARTRAND Marge Heatley, former president of the Flag Day Association attends the event.