Dutchess Veterans Retire Flag On Walkway Over Hudson
Rain, snow, or shine, the Pleasant Valley Post flag-changing ceremony happens once a month to honor veterans locally and worldwide.
Pleasant Valley, located in Dutchess County, is home to the American Legion Post #739. Post #739 has been responsible for retiring the flag on the historic Walkway Over the Hudson for over a decade. The Walkway was finished in 2009, and the group began the traditions regularly every third Sunday of the month starting in 2010 and continues today.
According to the American Legion website, 12,000 American Legion posts are located throughout the United States, making it the most prominent organization honoring wartime veterans consisting of two million members. The organization’s purpose is to recognize and bring support to those who have served along with their families and communities.
Ross Hartlipp, a ceremony organizer, says, “We started doing the flag changes themselves, and then shortly thereafter, we decided that it would also be good to honor the deceased veterans and have people that wanted to honor a family member or friend on the walkway that we could go ahead and fly the flag for them, and then present it to them after it was flown.” Organizers have kept up with this tradition for years and hope to encourage more people to come out and show their support for veterans in any way.
The duration of the event is between fifteen to twenty minutes. The events’ turnouts average around five to ten people in the extreme heat and extreme cold. However, Hartlipp notes, “Normally, we don’t get a lot,” on average event days when the walkway is open.
The American Legion Post from Pleasant Valley participates in these events monthly along with their town, “Pleasant Valley Days,” on the evening of Memorial Day. Like many others, the Post always attempts to honor the sacrifices veterans, and personnel has made to protect our country. Their involvement is an inspiration and reminder that behind our country and privileges are those who make the ultimate sacrifice. The flag change itself is a beautiful and important sentiment to the community.
The ceremony is free and easily accessible to the public, and the next flag change will be held on March 19th, 2023, for all interested. Hartlipp says the event is “generally publicized on the walkway calendar when the flag change event occurs.” Another way to stay involved is by referring veterans to the Pleasant Valley American Legion Post #739 and advocating for those who have served. Non-veteran community members can also be a part of the organization and get involved by attending events they host. For more information or questions, contact Ross Hartlipp.
