HONESDALE, PA — Debbie Gillette, executive director of the Chamber of the Northern Poconos, joined 95-year-old Marine Corps Veteran Scotty Ogden in the singing of the National Anthem at Wayne County’s annual courthouse commemoration of Flag Day on June 14. President Harry Truman established Flag Day in 1949 but, as County Commissioner Wendell Kay noted, Pennsylvania is the only state that observes the day as a legal holiday.

June 14 is also the anniversary of the 1775 founding of the U.S. Army. Given recent media attention to the issue of suicide, county veterans’ affairs director Frank Muggeo reported that more than 20 military veterans commit suicide each day in the U.S. He suggested that citizens should pause to consider the high rate and what can be done to lower it.

At the ceremony, American flags are distributed, and the program once again ended with a group photograph of all those in attendance waving them on the steps of the 1880 courthouse.

The commissioners met briefly prior to the ceremony. The short agenda was highlighted by Commissioner Joe Adams’ announcement that for the first time in county history, Wayne’s employee retirement fund was fully funded, with over $55 million invested. “We’re one of the few counties in the state that are fully funded. I think there are many local officials around PA finding themselves not sleeping very well knowing of their unfunded liabilities,” he said.