Eagle Scout creates American Flag retirement boxes for MFD

Special to The Advocate

Late last year when Scott Gage of Boy Scout Troop 603 was working to earn his Eagle Scout Badge, he reached out to Deputy Chief James Dockery in Fire Prevention to let him know what his Eagle Scout Project would be. He wanted to build three wooden American Flag retirement boxes, one for each Fire Station in Malden.

The entire Troop assisted in the design and building of the three wooden American Flag retirement boxes, each standing four feet tall and two feet wide. The boxes feature slow-closing hinges for safe and easy access, and a custom vinyl poster on the front displaying the Malden Fire Department logo, along with Scott’s name and Eagle Scout rank. The project was a collaborative effort with the entire Troop 603, who built the boxes from scratch. They were delivered to the Malden Fire Department in February 2025. The boxes were created to provide the community with a respectful place to deposit old and worn American flags until they can be properly retired during a ceremonial burning hosted by the City of Malden.

“I was inspired to work with the Fire Department and honor the American flag because of my great-uncle, a World War II Navy Veteran, and my uncle, a firefighter in Somerville,” said Eagle Scout Gage. “It was an honor to partner with the Malden Fire Department on this project, and I am truly grateful for their support and involvement throughout the process.”