MOUNT VERNON — A patriotic celebration occurred at The Living Center on Thursday in honor of Flag Day.
The ceremony included an introduction by Kevin Henthorn, director of the Knox County Veterans Services, a history of the flag presented by Cub Scouts Joe Brenneman and Harrison Lingel, a reading of “I Am Your Flag,” by Joan Levering, presentation of colors and retiring of The Living Center flag by American Legion Post 95.
The Flag Lady, Mary Leavitt, presented a reading of “You are the ‘U’ in the U.S.A.,” and bagpipe music was presented by Gary McCutcheon and Jenny Cameron.
Henthorn started the ceremony by describing what comes to the minds of veterans and soldiers on Flag Day.
“We think of the veteran who helps with our groceries ... who helped liberate a Nazi death camp,” Henthorn said.
Leavitt, “The Flag Lady,” regularly sojourns from her home in Libertyville to speak on the importance of the flag.
“Flag season is 365 days a year”, said Leavitt. “It’s [the flag] there for us up, down, in, or out. ... You’re the ‘U’ in U.S.A, the ‘it’ in United.”
The celebration concluded with banana splits.


