Maricopa veterans hold flag-raising ceremony

As a crowd of more than 100 looked on, Maricopa’s veterans honored their fallen comrades with a flag-raising ceremony Monday morning in front of the Maricopa Veterans Center.

Members of the Tracy P. MacPherson Veterans of Foreign Wars Post 12043 and the Maricopa American Legion Post 133 participated in the ceremony held at Rotary Park.

New VFW Post Commander Don Rostner presided over the brief ceremony, thanking all veterans for their service through the years, with special thanks to those that paid the ultimate sacrifice.

The ceremony was held in front of a monument dedicated to all fallen veterans that was presented by the Rotary Club to the Veterans Center.

The flag used was given to the veterans by former Maricopa Fire Chief Don Pearce and his wife. It had been presented to the Pearces on their 65th wedding anniversary by Arizona Sen. Jon Kyle after it had flown over the state Capitol.