By Andrew Martins, Managing Editor
A newly minted Eagle Scout’s project is providing a “respectful end” to retired and tattered American flags in Hillsborough after recently installing a flag retirement drop-off bin at the Peter J. Biondi Municipal Building., Max Steimel, a 17 year-old member of Hillsborough Boy Scout Troop 89, attained the rank of Eagle Scout last month after successfully constructing and donating the bin to the township as part of his Eagle Scout Project., “I was just trying to bring more patriotism to the township,” Steimel said. “I wanted to help the community remember what the flag stands for.”, According to the United States Flag Code, a flag should be disposed of when it “is so tattered that it no longer fits to serve as a symbol” for the country. The code calls for each flag to be “destroyed in a dignified manner, preferably by burning.”, Since the code also designates that the flag cannot “touch the ground or any other object,” collection boxes like the one Steimel constructed are generally used to collect old and worn out flags., Troop 89 Scoutmaster Kenneth R. Norgard commended Steimel for choosing a project that honors the country in a dignified manner., “When that flag grows tired and weary of flying high and proud, it should be retired respectfully,” he said. “In creating this box … Max not only has honored our great flag, but his community, and Boy Scout Troop 89.”, The flag code also designates the Boy Scouts of America as one of the organizations tasked with properly burning the flag for disposal, so Norgard said Troop 89 will regularly collect the bin’s contents for a “beautiful and solemn ceremony.”, As the project was coming together, Steimel said he was enthusiastically backed by Township Administrator Anthony Ferrera and other municipal officials., “They were really excited about this because they’ve been waiting for a flag retirement bin for years,” Steimel said. “They were definitely a part of the process.”, According to the Hillsborough High School senior, the bin is currently located outside Mayor Carl Suraci’s office so the general public can easily find the receptacle., Steimel said the overall project was funded by his family and required three weekends of work from himself, his fellow scouts and his father Kirk Steimel., Having achieved the rank of Eagle Scout on March 16, Steimel said he feels like a major hurdle has been conquered., “I definitely feel accomplished because this was one of my major goals in life,” Steimel said. “I just learned so much through scouting that basically shaped my life. Getting Eagle Scout is just even better.”, Next fall, Steimel will begin his collegiate career at the State University of New York at Cortland, where he intends to pursue a major in recreation – a decision that he said came directly from his achievements as a scout., “I want to be outdoors and be a leader,” he said. “Scouting helped shape this because I was also a camp counselor as a scout too. It was so much fun and I want to continue doing that.”, Though academics will continue to be a focus moving forward, Steimel said he will continue his scouting career with earning an Eagle Palm as his next major goal., “It’s just more work with the troop and whatever community service I can do,” he said. “After college, I’ll look for more community-based work up there to help contribute.”
