I am looking forward to Flag Day. Why? Because after 12 years in the house, we have a flagpole without a weather vane and a new flag flying proudly.
The pole was put up by my grandfather sometime in the 1950s and he saw fit to top it off with a weather vane, complete with a swiveling arrow. The arrow was famous for shredding flags into long strips and twisting them into a nasty knot several feet off the ground.
After the last one got shredded and twisted, I found a steeplejack who would come to the house, take the weather vane off the top of the pole, install a nice ball in its place and run new line. Deal!
Once completed, only two flags have ended up in flag retirement ceremonies and those had become weather worn.
Just to be safe and keep an eye on that weather vane, I planted it in a flower garden on the opposite side of the house.
June 14 is a celebration of the Stars and Stripes, our national flag. The day was not officially established until President Woodrow Wilson issued a proclamation on May 30, 1916, almost 30 years after the first observances in Wisconsin, New York and Pennsylvania had taken place.
President Harry Truman made the day official when he signed an Act of Congress in 1949, making June 14 the official birthday of our flag.

Flags to be retired
American Legion Post 678 and Veterans of Foreign Wars Post 3863 will host a flag retirement ceremony at the Boulevard of Flags, 35150 Lake Shore Blvd. in Eastlake, at 11 a.m. June 14. The public is invited to the ceremony.

Newbury hosts fifth annual steak roast
Newbury American Legion Post 663, 11008 Kinsman Road in Newbury Township, will host its fifth annual steak roast in the Hunter Pavilion behind the post from 4 to 7 p.m. June 14.
Tickets for the roast are $12 in advance or $15 at the door. The dinner will include a 50/50. For tickets or more information, call 440-635-6390 or 440-834-1159.

Madison Legion hosts flea market
Madison Post 112, at Middle Ridge Road and Route 528 in Madison, will host a flea market beginning at 9 a.m. June 14.
Lunch will be available. All money raised will benefit Veterans helping Veterans. For details, call 440-724-6871.

Father’s Day breakfasts
n VFW Post 3863, 33641 Vine St. in Eastlake, will host a Father’s Day breakfast buffet from 10 a.m. to noon June 15. The buffet is open to the public. For information, call the post home at 440-942-3980.
n Blue Star Mothers Geneva Chapter 57 will host a pancake breakfast from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. June 15 at Geneva VFW Post 76 on Depot Street in Geneva. Tickets will be available at the door.
n Madison VFW Post 8548, 7604 Lake Road E. in Madison, will host a sausage gravy, biscuit, potatoes, eggs, coffee and juice breakfast from 8 a.m. to noon June 15, at the post home. Adult breakfast will be $5 and children ages 10 and younger will eat for $3.50. For details, call the post home at 440-428-3050.
n VFW Post 2595 Ladies Auxiliary, 570 Liberty St. in Painesville, will host a Father’s Day breakfast, beginning at 9 a.m. June 15, at the post home. For details, call 440-354-9090.

Chardon VFW Auxiliary to host sale
The Ladies Auxiliary Annual Rummage Sale will be June 19 and 20 at VFW Post 6519, 752 Water St. in Chardon. There will be an eclectic mix of goodies and a bake sale on site. Donations will be accepted. For more details, Call Kristin at 440-567-0748 or Loretta at 440-834-1753.

Military night with the Captains
Military Night with the Lake County Captains will be 7 p.m. June 21 against the South Bend Silver Hawks. The night is open to current military and veterans.
Rolling Thunder will be a large part of the evening festivities. Riders will meet near the American flag located on the northwest corner outside the stadium. Those participating in the on-field procession should be there by 6 p.m., entering the field at approximately 6:15 p.m. There will be fireworks after the game. For discounted tickets, call 440-975-8085 ext. 116.

Veterans job fair in Cleveland
A free military hiring fair sponsored by Hiring our Heroes-Cleveland will be 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. June 26 at Public Auditorium, 500 Lakeside Ave. in Cleveland. To register, visit hiringourheroes.org/cleveland.

Willoughby Hills auxiliary hosts Swiss steak dinner
Willoughby Hills VFW 4358 Ladies Auxiliary, 29412 White Road in Willoughby Hills, will host a Swiss steak dinner from 3 to 5 p.m. June 29 at the post home. Dinners are $9 per dinner.
For information or tickets, call the post at 440-944-1642 or Rosina Drenski at 440-944-4903.

Rotary to host motorcycle run
Burton-Middlefield Rotary will sponsor an escorted motorcycle run on June 29 at the Geauga County Fairgrounds in Burton beginning at 10 a.m.
The ride will be led by Geauga County Sheriff Dan McClelland with his dog Midge. The sheriff will take the participants on a 55-mile ride through Geauga County. Cost is $25 per motorcycle, which includes a rider for free.
The ride will benefit the Burton-Middlefield Rotary Veterans Housing and Assistance Fund. To date, the Rotary Club has raised more than $100,000 for Geauga County veterans through various projects, including the Geauga County Veterans Memorial, housing for veterans and Giant Eagle gift cards for veterans, along with providing heating-oil assistance to veterans this past winter.
Registration forms are available online, while registration the day of the ride will begin at 8 a.m.

To submit items for this column or the online listings, send them to: The News-Herald, Attn.: Larece Galer, 7085 Mentor Ave., Willoughby, OH 44094; fax to 440-975-2293; or via email to LGaler@News-Herald.com.