Published June 9, 2026

The City of Dearborn recently installed an official U.S. flag retirement box at the Dearborn Administrative Center (DAC), located at the east entrance of 16901 Michigan Ave, thanks to the local Girl Scout troop, who built the city’s first box.

In partnership with Stars For Our Troops, a volunteer organization dedicated to giving retired American flags a renewed purpose, the box allows residents to properly retire faded, torn, or worn American flags in accordance with the U.S. Flag Code.

Mayor Abdullah H. Hammoud said the official U.S. flag drop box offers residents a way to properly and honorably retire flags.

“The United States flag is a symbol of freedom and a symbol of our country,” Mayor Hammoud said. “When flags become worn or torn, they need to be properly retired. This gives residents a place to bring them so they can be handled with dignity and respect.”

Once the city’s collection box is full, the flags are then donated to Stars For Our Troops. Since 2010, the organization has collected approximately 1.6 million stars from the donated flags and distributed them to active duty servicemembers, veterans, first responders, and their families along with a note of support.

This initiative extends the life and purpose of flags in our community while also preserving history. The collection point is located outside the Dearborn Administrative Center's east entrance at 16901 Michigan Ave.

Donation criteria
Flag stars should be no larger than 2 inches across. All donated flags must be labeled as “Made in the U.S.A.” or made by a flag company that is a member of the National Independent Flag Dealers Association, NIFDA or the Flag Manufacturers Association of America, FMAA. 

This new initiative takes place in addition to the city’s annual Flag Day ceremony, held in consultation with the Dearborn Allied War Veterans Council, on Sunday, June 14, 2026, at 2 p.m. at Ford Field Park, 22051 Cherry Hill St. 

Dearborn is partnering with local Scout groups that are helping expand this program. In addition to the local Girl Scouts, who built the first drop box now located at the DAC, the Scouting America Troop 1147 is currently building more boxes to be placed at various city-owned properties, making it even easier for residents to participate.

For more information about the drop box or the City’s Flag Day ceremony, contact the City of Dearborn Veterans Liaison, Penny Fomby, at CFomby@Dearborn.gov. 
 

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