Frisco teenager collects more than 200 American flags to be retired

FRISCO, Texas — Frisco teen Carson Backus was hoping to collect at least 50 American flags for his project. But in 48 hours, he collected more than 200.

“We kind of blew the goal out of the water,” Backus, 18, said.

Backus is a member of the Sea Scouts program. Sea Scouts is a division of the Boy Scouts of America.

The Reedy High School graduating senior noticed many American flags throughout his neighborhood were faded, tattered or had holes. So he decided to collect these worn American flags from North Texans and then retire the flags at a ceremony on Flag Day on June 14 as part of a Sea Scouts project.

Backus explained that retiring an American flag includes cutting and separating a flag’s colors into separate groups, and then respectfully burning the pieces.

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“A flag is not just a piece of cloth,” Backus said. “And so when we retire a flag, and when we burn it, it’s supposed to be ceremonial. It’s supposed to be a way of respectfully ending the flag’s watch.”

Backus posted his request for worn American flags on social media. On Sunday and Monday, he and his mother drove to homes in Frisco, Plano, Little Elm, and The Colony to pick up flags. Backus also said people in New York, Georgia, and Louisiana are mailing him worn flags for his project.

“We want to teach the next generation how to retire the flag respectfully, and [show them] that it’s not a piece of trash. You don’t put it in the trash can. You have to save it, and respectfully burn it in this kind of situation,” Backus said. “And then the younger scouts, hopefully, will be able to take this and grow with it.”

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Backus is graduating from Reedy High School Saturday. He plans to attend the United States Merchant Marine Academy at Kings Point in New York.

Backus is collecting worn American flags until June 10. If you have a worn American flag and want to donate it to Backus’ project, you can drop the flags off at the following Frisco Fire Stations for him to pick up:

• Frisco Fire Station #1: 8601 Gary Burns Dr, Frisco, TX 75034
• Frisco Fire Station #7: 330 W Stonebrook Pkwy, Frisco, TX 75036
• Frisco Fire Station #8: 14700 Rolater Rd, Frisco, TX 75035
• Frisco Fire Station #9: 15151 Donnie Mayfield Way, Frisco, TX 75035

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