As the United States prepares to celebrate 250 years of independence next year, a Coastal Bend tradition is giving residents a meaningful way to honor both the American flag and the people it represents.The annual Flag for a Fla g exchange returns Thursday, July 2, offering community members the opportunity to exchange a worn or weathered American flag for a new one at no cost.This year, the effort is expanding by distributing 1,776 new flags, a symbolic nod to the nation's founding as the country approaches its 250th anniversary."We're breaking records and honoring the nation," said JJ De La Cerda, Nueces County veterans services officer. Free flag exchange carries deeper meaning ahead of America's 250th birthdayThe number 1,776 was chosen intentionally to recognize the signing of the Declaration of Independence in 1776, but De La Cerda said the event's significance extends far beyond history.For many families, the flags being exchanged carry deeply personal memories."Some of these flags were presented to them whenever their loved one passed away, their veteran passed away," De La Cerda said. "They fly this flag at their home, and it's the symbol of their loved one. When that flag is tattered or weathered and they exchange that flag, they feel like they're getting their loved one back to them. So it's a great feeling."As a veteran himself, De La Cerda said the American flag serves as a daily reminder of the service members who never made it home."For me, it means the veterans, the buddies that I lost in Iraq," he said. "It means that they continue to live within us, within me myself, and they're never forgotten."With the nation's semiquincentennial approaching, De La Cerda believes traditions like the Flag for a Flag exchange help preserve the values represented by the flag for future generations."Two hundred fifty years is an amazing accomplishment as a nation," he said. "But to continue that glory, that honor for 250 years is extremely important."Each American flag turned in during the exchange will be retired with honor in accordance with the U.S. Flag Code at a later date.The Flag for a Flag exchange is scheduled for Thursday only at participating locations across the Coastal Bend. Participants should review the program's guidelines before attending, as specific rules apply to eligible flag exchanges. More information is available by click here.More Veterans In Focus stories are available here, along with resources for local veterans. Contact Veterans In Focus reporter Michelle Hofman at [email protected] ...read more read less