* The American Flag Foundation headquartered in Baltimore, MD leaded the Nation in celebrating Flag Day, Monday, June 14, 2010, 6:30 to 9:00 p.m. with its 31st Annual National Pause for the Pledge of Allegiance Flag Day program, which was celebrating the 100th Anniversary of the Boy Scouts of America. The program is free, and open to the public.

* We are honored that The American Flag Foundation is celebrating our 100 th Anniversary of Scouting in the US at their Annual Flag Day - Pause for The Pledge of Allegiance program, says Barry Gossett, Board Chairman, Baltimore Area Council Boys Scouts of America.

* Mr. Bob Delisle, Vice President of Operations, explained the change of venue from its traditional site of Fort McHenry National Monument and Historic Shrine: The Fort is in the midst of construction of a new Visitors Center which prohibits parking inside the Fort. For the comfort of our Flag Day attendees, an alternate site was chosen -Oregon Ridge Park- for this year.

* Mr. Delisle added, We are looking forward to the entertaining and invigorating personality of this years emcee, Bob Heck the Vid Tech, Emmy Award-winning Host of MPT Kids & Family. He will complement each piece of the program, including a Flag Trivia
component.

* Committee Chair Rick Knauer, COL, USA (Ret.) added families are welcome to bring picnics or visit Chick-Fil-A on-site. For
shopping convenience, there will also be a booth where Flags and accessories may be purchased.

* The program also included the Presentation of Historic Flags by the Civil Air Patrol Middle East Region and Maryland Wing Honor Guard, and Presentation of the Colors by the Maryland Defense Force; a Fly-over by the 104 th Fighter Squadron of the Maryland Air National Guard; a Parade of State Flags by various troops of Boy Scouts, Girl Scouts, and Cub Scouts.

* Musical performances included Girl Scouts of Central Maryland Chorus, Heart of Maryland Chorus from Catonsville, Chorus of the Chesapeake from Dundalk, the 3 Wise Men Quartet, Maryland Sings Off-Broadway Kids, Maryland Sings Escape, Maryland Sings The Chancel Singers of Reisterstown United Methodist Church, and the 229 th Maryland Army National Guard Band.

* Concluded the day, Spectacular Fireworks By Zambelli.

* Since first official flag in 1777, with 13 stars and 13 stripes, we have had 27 official flags in the US.

* To present the Presidential Proclamation is the Honorable Benjamin L. Cardin, US Senator from the state of Maryland.

* Special guest, Ranger Vince Vaise, Chief Interpretation from Fort McHenry National Monument and Historic Shrine told about The Origin of Flag Day.

* Enjoyed the 229th Maryland Army National Guard Band under the direction of SSG Dan Stinchcomb.

US Historic flags from Past to Present :

* First Stars & Stripes
* Stars & Stripes(15 Stars)
* Stars & Stripes(1818 Flag)
* Mexican War
* Civil War
* Spanish-American War
* World War I, II & Korean War
* Vietnam War


- The Stars and Stripes first flew in a Flag Day celebration in Hartford, Connecticut in 1861, the first summer of the Civil War.
- The first national observance of Flag Day came on June 14, 1877, the centennial of the original flag resolution.
- President Woodrow Wilson issued in 1916 an official proclamation calling for a nationwide observance of Flag Day on June 14.
- In 1949, the Congress gave the June 14 holiday permanence by a Congressional resolution.
- The author of the Pledge of Allegiance was an ordained minister and magazine writer, Francis Bellamy, whose aim was to say, what our republic meant and what was the underlying spirit of its life.
- The Pledge of Allegiance was first introduced in a Columbus Day ceremony in 1892 when school children first recited it.
- In 1980, inspired by the words of Francis Bellamy, a small group of patriotic Baltimore business leaders began the Annual National Pause for the Pledge of Allegiance Ceremony.
- In 1982, this same group of individuals chartered the National Flag Day Foundation, Inc., now The American Flag Foundation, Inc.

Park address : 13555 Beaver Dam Road, Cockeysville, MD 21030.

>City(s) = Cockeysville, Baltimore; State(s) = MD; Country = USA.
>Title = The Flag Day (Baltimore) and Fireworks, Oregon Ridge Park, Cockeysville, MD, USA - Video.
>Keywords = The Flag Day, Oregon Ridge Park, Cockeysville, MD, US, American Flag Foundation, Baltimore, National Pause for Pledge of Allegiance, Boy Scouts America, Barry Gossett, Bob Delisle, Fort McHenry Monument, Heck, MPT, Fireworks, Zambelli, Army Guard Band, AFF (183)
>Catg =