Kiwanis, Allentown Boy Scouts Donate Flag for Trenton Battle Monument
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Trenton Councilwoman Marge Caldwell-Wilson, Troop 180A Boy Scouts Theo Renzulli and Christopher Fleres, Colonial Reenactor Algernon Ward, Boy Scouts Charlie Bassi (back), Matthew McCormick, Daniel Clark, and Christopher McCormick and Scout Master Michael Fleres
About 30 City community leaders gathered at Trenton’s historic Battle Monument Sunday morning to present and install a new U.S. flag. Led by the Kiwanis Club of Trenton, Allentown (NJ) Boy Scout Troop 180A, and a representative from the Millstone Boy Scout Troop 116, the Monument has benefited from a facelift over the course of the past few months. Replacing the weather-worn 16 foot by 18 foot U.S. flag at the park is part of the groups’ “adoption” of the Monument – a commitment to helping to keep the park clean and in good repair in honor of the decisive victory won by the Continental Army at the site on December 26, 1776.
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Trenton Councilwoman Marge Caldwell-Wilson accepts the new flag from Joseph Teti, President of the Kiwanis Club of Trenton and Michael Fleres, Scout Master of Allentown (NJ) Boy Scout Troop 180A.
The Boy Scouts and Kiwanis donated the flag to the City of Trenton during a ceremony at the Monument on Sunday morning, April 22, 2018. Trenton Councilwoman Marge Caldwell-Wilson accepted the flag on behalf of the City and carried it to the flagpole, where it was installed by the scouts. As the new flag unfurled into the bright spring sky, colonial re-enactor and Trenton Historical Society member Algernon Ward fired a musket in salute. Charlie Bassi, a scout in Troop 180A, led the singing of the National Anthem and the group recited the Pledge of Allegiance. Earlier, Rev. Mark David Johnson, Rector of St. Michael’s Episcopal Church, offered the invocation, noting that his parish, which is marking 315 years in Trenton, was present when Washington’s men fought the pivotal battle 242 years ago.
It was noted that the Battle of Trenton not only changed the course of the Revolutionary War but the course of world history as well. Without victory in Trenton, Washington himself conceded that “the game was about up” and the cause of independence for our new nation was all but lost. Troop 180A and Kiwanis are committed to ensuring that what happened in Trenton is not forgotten. The Battle Monument should be a place that all Americans both want and need to visit. For that to be true, the Monument and its park needs to be clean, kept in good condition, and safe.
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A salute for the new Battle Monument flag.
The activity at the Battle Monument is also part of a larger initiative to celebrate the 100thanniversary of the founding of the Kiwanis Club of Trenton. Kiwanis will continue to work with City officials to enlist other groups to “adopt” parks and public spaces in need of attention. Groups will be asked to commit to cleaning the area they adopt at least twice each year. The program aims to increase community ownership and pride in the City, which will, in turn, improve the quality of life for residents and encourage others to visit. For more information, please contact Mike McCormick, Kiwanis Club member, at (609) 208-9991.
