Thanks to the work of a local Eagle Scout, American flags in Wareham will get the proper retirement they deserve.

Troop 39 Eagle Scout Daniel Carneiro, a student at Old Rochester Regional High School and a Rochester resident, and his team recently built and placed nine flag collection boxes throughout Wareham as part of Carneiro’s Eagle Scout project.

According to flag etiquette, American flags should never simply be thrown away. Carneiro decided to build collection boxes where residents can drop off their worn and tattered flags to have them retired the right way.

Five days total were designated as work days for the construction and decoration of the boxes. Over the course of those days, Carneiro’s volunteers cut lumber, constructed frames and painted the boxes.

Last weekend, Carneiro and his crew of adult and scout volunteers placed the boxes throughout Wareham. The boxes can be found in the following locations: Wareham Police Station, Wareham Fire Station on Main Street, Onset Fire Station, Onset VFW, Wareham Town Hall, the Harbor Master’s Office, Centre Cemetery, St. Patrick’s Cemetery and Wareham Recycling Center.

Part of the process of obtaining the rank of Eagle Scout is to complete an Eagle Project in which the eligible scout takes on the role of “project manager.” Carneiro, who has been scouting since age 10, began the process after earning his Life scout rank. Upon committing to the idea of creating collection boxes for retiring old American flags, Carneiro had to write a proposal, attain Scoutmaster Al Barthe’s approval, and appear before the Wareham Board of Selectmen for approval to place the depository boxes at various locations throughout the town.

When asked why he selected a project to honor the American flag, Carneiro expressed the need for people to honor our country’s symbols.

Troop 39 has a long tradition of retiring American flags during campouts. Retiring a flag is a serious matter. The boys handle the flag carefully, folding it into a proper triangular state. As the boys recite the scout law, a military veteran respectfully places the flag into a campfire.