For the third straight year, Warhorse Ranch welcomed community members to its property for an American flag retirement ceremony on Saturday.

To lead the ceremony, 19 Rocky Mountain Young Marines traveled to Warhorse from Fort Collins. The ceremony began with a presentation of colors by the color guard and was followed by the lowering of the American flag down the flagpole. 

To prepare the flag, it was folded 13 times to symbolize life, a trust in God, a tribute to our armed forces and more. The flag was carefully brought over to a fire pit and placed in the fire for retirement. 

The ceremony is performed on flags that are tattered or no longer seen as fit to represent the United States. Mike Lozano, the owner of Warhorse Ranch, collected flags all year through the VFW to properly retire them at the ceremony.