“Color Guard, Advance,” said Webelos Scouts Dillon Mosman and Nathaniel Mann to start the proceedings of a very special Flag Dedication Ceremony for Cub Scout Pack 19 at Lovers Lane United Methodist Church.  The purpose of the Dedication Ceremony was to officially present to Pack 19 their very own Texas State Flag and United States Flag.  For the past two years, this fledgling Pack had always borrowed flags from the Church and from Boy Scout Troop 718. 

Texas State Representative Will Hartnett and United States Secret Service Agent Brian Sanders were special guests participating in the Ceremony which took place in a room draped in eighteen historic Texas and United States Flags.  Cubmasters Nancy and Darryl Burke officiated the Ceremony and welcomed the Cub Scouts, their parents and other guests, including Wendy Kurten, Marketing Director at Circle Ten Council and Sherwood Blount, President-Elect of Circle Ten Council. 

Representative Hartnett first traced the history of the various national Flags that have flown over the Republic of Texas, including Spain, France, Mexico, the Republic of Texas, the Confederate States of America and the United States of America.   He then briefly discussed some of Texas’s most famous Battle Flags   like the Gonzalez “Come and Get It” Flag and the Flag which flew over the Alamo.  “We Texans are proud of our Flag, and most of all, proud of our State,” Hartnett said.   Representative Hartnett then presented to Pack 19 a Texas Flag which had flown over the Texas House of Representatives earlier in the month in honor of Cub Scout Pack 19.   

United States Secret Service Agent Brian Sanders presented the United States Flag to Pack 19.  Mr. Sander is an Eagle Scout and a Special Agent assigned to the Protective Detail of President George W. Bush.  After narrating the history of various Flags that have flown over the United States, including the British Union Flag, the Betsy Ross Flag and the Star Spangled Banner, he then shared some very special news with the Cub Scout Pack about their new United States Flag, “It is my pleasure to present to Cub Scout Pack 19 and Lovers Lane United Methodist Church, this new United States Flag which President and Mrs. Bush ‘officially inaugurated’ for your Pack by flying it over their house on Daria Place.  You are the ONLY Cub Scout Pack in the entire United States that has a Flag which the Bushes have flown over their house.”  Earlier in the year, the Cub Scouts met President and Mrs. Bush at their home when they participated in the annual Scouting For Food Drive. 

Pastor Tom Hudspeth, an Eagle Scout and one of the Pastors at LoversLaneUnitedMethodistChurch, blessed each Flag individually.  He then gave the Texas Flag to Wolf Cub Scout Liam McLaughlin and his family and the United States Flag to Webelos Scout Jack French and his family to post on the flagpole.   Everyone in the audience recited the Pledge of Allegiance to the Texas State Flag and the Pledge of Allegiance to the United States Flag.  The Ceremony concluded with a stirring rendition of the Star Spangled Banner led by Boy Scout Den Chief Chandler Burke on his trumpet.  

“It was an awesome ceremony,” said Bear Cub Scout Ethan Muse.  "The flag ceremony was cool because I had never seen any of those old American flags before," remarked Charlie Stalder, age 10.  “Every pack needs their own Texas and America flags,” added seven-year old Tiger Cub Michael Nolen.  “Every time I see them, I will think of the places they have flown and all of the people who have fought for our country, like at the Alamo and in Afghanistan,” said Bear Cub Scout Trevor Burke. 

Sherwood Blount, President-Elect of Circle Ten Council summed it up best:  “It is really exciting to see these young men receive such a special gift.  The Scouting program instills many values in their lives and these two flags will remind them of their duty to our country.”