(Photo by Shelley Hanson) Members of the Moundsville Honor Guard and Glen Dale City Council gather Wednesday at Glen Dale City Park on Wednesday. The guard donated new flags that will be flown at the park. From left are Eric Cunningham, Phil Cameron, Paul Yoho, Mike Kuzma, Paul Amrhein, Larry Cool, Jim Robinson, David Bates, Sid Pond, Spencer Curry, Kristina Matyskiela, Mike McCoy, Russ Niehaus, Mike Skrzyneki, police Chief Ed Vogler, Lou Richmond, Kelly Landers and Eric Anderson. At front are Mayor Janet Scott and guard member Dave Schoenian.

GLEN DALE — The Moundsville Honor Guard donated several flags to the city of Glen Dale on Wednesday for display at its park.

Members of the guard presented the flags, representing branches of the military, the American flag and a POW flag, to Mayor Janet Scott and members of City Council.

Honor Guard member Dave Schoenian said that in 2020 a Boy Scout, Kaden Minch, asked for help with his Eagle Scout project. He wanted to install flag poles at the park’s war memorial.

“The honor guard is a proud supporter of scouting so we assisted him in raising some funds, but he did all this work on his own,” Schoenian said. “This is his project. We supplied the flags. We told him from that day on … we would provide them.”

Schoenian said the honor guard performs about 110 final salutes during veterans funerals each year.

“Last year we also did 52 community events,” he added. “So we’re pretty busy. We go in a 50-mile radius. These men and women are dedicated to this. No matter what the weather is, we answer the call and are proud to honor our veterans.”

The honor guard, he said, helps the community and the community helps the guard.

Schoenian said it is important to take care of the flags. It is disrespectful to have torn or shredded flags flying.

“A lot of men and women paid the price to keep that flag flying up there,” he said. “These men and women bleed red, white and blue. They are proud to have served their country and they’re proud of that flag. … That’s what I tell a widow at the funerals we do — that’s the highest honor a veteran can have, having that flag draped across the coffin. We have 250 years coming up.”

Scott noted the new flags will be raised in time for Memorial Day observances. She said she is grateful for the honor guard, its donation and veterans.

“This valley is very veteran oriented,” Schoenian added. “Everywhere I go across this country I brag on this valley. A lot of my friends, where they come from, they don’t have this support.”

He said the Sunday before Memorial Day the honor guard will break into two teams and visit 35 cemeteries to perform full ceremonies.

“They are proud to do what they’re doing,” he said.