Hi Para,

A friend has a group of disadvantaged "adults" who are basically "children". One of their life highlights is serving as a Color Guard. Groups like the 82nd, 101st, and 173rd Airborne use the Color Guard at their reunions here in MO.

Their annual fundraiser is a flag retirement ceremony wherein people with damaged flags can donate $X to have their flag ceremoniously and properly disposed of - including the burying of the ashes.

The funds raised from the flag retirement ceremony are used to purchase small US flags to place on every military veterans grave in MO.

Note there are 5 MO based military cemeteries; 1) Higginsville, 2) Springfield, 3) Jacksonville, 4) Bloomfield, 5) Ft Leonard Wood, 6) St James - which is not open to new interments.

The Color Guard used to purchase and place flags at every grave in the federally run Jefferson Barracks cemetery but JB told them they have thousands of flags they've saved from prior years. Hence the Color Guard now performs the same function at "less popular" MO based veteran cemeteries.

Of special note is the largest MO based Veterans Day parade will be held in Branson, MO. Their Special Needs Color Guard has been asked to lead the parade.

Since this involves traveling, hotels, meals, etc. they are trying to raise funds so they can attend. Hence the BBQ raffle.

Do I have your OK to sell the raffle tickets and also to make everyone aware of the flag retirement ceremony?

Go ahead, but you guys have to stop asking these things of me. We're getting back to like it used to be, with this stuff being asked frequently and I am not having that. Everyone has a cause.

Fair warning- the next member to ask this kind of thing is going to get a 'no'. I have to draw the line somewhere.

Thanks Para. The Special Needs boys will appreciate it.